Verb Issue R81 (June 7-13, 2013)

Issue #81 – June 7 to June 13

arts culture music regina

Photo: courtesy of Ph

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thE aRt oF making shoEs chatting with Adam finn

old man maRklEy Bringing punk bluegrass to the prairies

thE puRgE + chRistcoRE films reviewed

in thEVault60 years of collecting at the mackenzie

Joe FaFard, the Politician, 1987, bronze, Patina, acrylic Paint, edition 4/12 Photo: courtesy of MAckenzIe Art gAllery

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Please recycle aFter reading & sharing

EditoRialPublisher / PArIty PuBlIshIngeditor in chieF / ryAn AllAnmanaging editor / JessIcA PAtruccostaFF writers / AdAM hAwBoldt + Alex J MAcPhersoncontributing writer / VIctorIA ABrAhAM

aRt & pRoductionProduction lead / BrIttney grAhAM design lead / Andrew yAnkocontributing PhotograPhers / BAIly eBerle, MAxton PrIeBe, AdAM hAwBoldt + Alex J MAcPherson

BusinEss & opERationsoFFice manager / stePhAnIe lIPsItaccount manager / BrodIe hAllettaccount manager / kerrI senkowmarketing manager / Vogeson PAleyFinancial manager / cody lAng

contactcomments / [email protected] / 306 881 8372

adVertise / [email protected] / 306 979 2253

design / [email protected] / 306 979 8474

general / [email protected] / 306 979 2253

Verbnews.com@VerBregInA fAceBook.coM/VerBregInA

culture entertainmentnews + oPinion

until dEath do us paRt ... in stylEThe changing face of funerals. 3 / local

thE suBtlE aRt oF shoE makingSK cobbler Adam Finn tells all. 4 / local

wastE not, want notOur thoughts on curbside composting. 6 / editorial

commEntsHere’s what you had to say about mandatory dog training. 7 / comments

Q + a with thE kaRpinka BRothERsWriting songs + giving back. 8 / q + a

nightliFE photos We visit the Lancaster Taphouse.15 / nightliFe

liVE music listingsLocal music listings for June 7 through June 15. 14 / listings

thE puRgE + chRistcoREWe review the latest movies. 16 / Film

on thE Bus Weekly original comic illustrations by Elaine M. Will. 18 / comics

old man maRklEyOn bringing punk bluegrass to the prairies. 9 / arts

not youR mom and pop yoguRt shopWe visit Menchie’s. 12 / Food + drink

musicSmokey Robinson, Black Drink Crier + Hanson 13 / music

toBoggan islandA Sled Island preview. 9 / arts

gamE + hoRoscopEsCanadian criss-cross puzzle, weekly horoscopes and Sudoku. 19 / timeout

on thE coVER: in thE Vault60 years at the MacKenzie. 10 / Feature

Photo: courtesy of MAckenzIe Art gAllery

contents

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locallocal

here is a subtle art in getting a body ready for a funeral.

You simply don’t dress the de-ceased in his or her Sunday best, apply a bit of make-up and then bring in the coffin. No, the process — which has been around for years — is much more nuanced than that. There are certain steps you have to follow to create a “pleasant memory picture.” First thing that happens after the body is trans-ferred to the funeral home is the pre-embalming process. What that entails is, basically, setting the body’s features: closing the eyes, washing the hair and body using antiseptic soap, and any necessary shaving. “Depending on the death, you may be dealing with some-one who passed away with hepatitis or some other sort of infectious disease,” says Kevin Almassy, a funeral director from Regina who has been in the busi-ness since 1988. “So you have to protect yourself and the public from bacteria or viruses. So it’s important to use the antiseptic soap to disinfect the surface area of the body.”

Once the body is disinfected, the next step is embalming. Unlike ancient cultures, modern embalming practices are aimed at disinfection and preser-vation, as opposed to mummifying the body. To do this you choose an injection point, raise the artery, hook up a line to the embalming pump ma-chine, and inject the embalming fluid (a combination of water, methanol, formaldehyde, and tinting dyes). The fluid comes in different strengths that you choose depending on the situation.

“Temperature and moisture enhance decomposition,” explains Almassy. “So if [death has occurred several days before embalming, you may require a] higher strength index because decomposition will be accelerated. The formaldehyde takes moisture out of the body tissue. So conversely, if you have a smaller person or someone

[who suffered from malnutrition and/or dehydration before death], you don’t want to use really strong fluid. It will dehydrate the body too much.”

Embalming done, you move on to the final step — post-embalming. This is where you apply a special moisturizer on the face and hands before turning to cosmetics. “The key here is to use the least amount of cosmetics possible,” says Almassy.

This modern method of embalming has remained relatively unchanged for quite some time. The same can’t be said for modern funerals, though.

Fifty years ago, when people died here in the Western world, chances are their funeral was a traditional one: wake at a funeral home, service at a church, burial in a cemetery. You know the drill. But what if you want-

t

A modern spin on funeral services By AdAM hAwBoldt

until dEath do us paRt... in stylE

ed something different? Say, having your service held in the middle of a boxing ring? Or making a grand final entrance via helicopter? The point here is that 50 years ago having any of those things done to your body would be unthinkable.

Today? Not so much. There is a growing demand for themed and personalized funerals. Think of it as the last frontier of personal expression. Or as a true reflection of how you lived your life. “What’s happening today is we’re dealing with baby boomers,” says Almassy. “They know what they want and they know what they don’t want. And because of that there’s a demand for different kinds of services … Years ago the traditional venue was the church. But things have changed. Now you’re seeing funerals in banquet facilities, restaurants, bars. It can be anywhere. It can be on the 18th hole of a golf course.”

Almassy should know. As a funeral director at Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Services, an alt-funeral/cre-mation service, he is in the business of making your final wish his command. If green funerals are your thing, there

are environmentally friendly options. A traditional funeral or cremation? No problem. And if you want your final service to possess a bit of memorable pizzazz, you wouldn’t be alone.

“There was a service done at our partner location in Vancouver for a guy who loved to bowl. Apparently he always hit the head pin,” says Almassy with a chuckle. “So instead of getting cremated and purchasing a traditional urn, they bored out a bowling pin and put his ashes in that. Then they got some flooring and set up a makeshift bowling lane in the church for people to walk down. At the end of the lane they set up the guy’s urn with his picture on it as the head pin.”

And yet, while modern funeral services around the world are be-ginning to undergo a revolution of sorts, some things still remain the same. Like the embalming process.

And what it takes to be a good funeral director.

“The keyword is empathy,” says Almassy. “In order to do this you need genuine empathy and a solid under-standing of the grieving process.”

[a funeral] can be anywhere. it can be on the 18th hole of a golf course.

keVIn AlMAssy

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local

he south wall of Adam Finn’s workshop is lined with shoes. Or

at least, at first glance, they look like shoes to the untrained eye. On shelves that hang at eye level, they’re lined up, all 189 pairs of them: toes aimed towards the centre of the room in neat, perfect rows.

As you get closer to them, though, you realize they aren’t shoes at all. They’re made of plastic and wood, with sizes and widths marked on their sides. “Those are called lasts,” Finn says about the objects on the shelves. “They’re what give the shoe or boot its shape.”

And picking up a two-toned leather-and-suede shoe that’s only half made, Finn says, “What you do is you put the insole in, then pull the leather around the last. I’m stretching this leather right now. But you have to be careful when you’re doing this or you’ll rip it.”

Finn should know. Every cobbler makes mistakes from time to time. And while he may be the youngest cobbler in the country, Finn has still forgotten more about shoes than most of us will ever know. Standing over an old desk, the one with the words “Soup Anyone?” scrawled on

the inside of the top drawer, Finn pauses for a second. Rewinds. Starts explaining the shoe-making process from the beginning.

“When someone comes in, we talk about what I can make, what they want, and then I measure their feet,” says Finn. He points to a piece of paper on his desk that has a hand-drawn outline of a foot within a shoe on it. “After I trace their feet, the next step it to figure out what size last to use. Then I make the pattern, put it on card-board, and cut it out. The pattern ends up in several pieces.”

After he says this, Finn turns around and starts walking through his cluttered workshop. All around him are scraps of leather, tools, bottles of liquid and machines: stretching machines and sanding machines. Machines for sewing and polishing and cutting. At the back

at the room he stops next to a big, green, 300-pound metal contraption.

“This is where I skive the shoes,” he explains. “That’s when you bevel

the end of the leather so, when you go to sew it, you get a flat seam. I used to use a really sharp curved blade and do it by hand, but it took six or seven hours and I’d always end up ripping something. It isn’t easy. If you hit a little leather ball, it’ll tear a whole.”

Finn then goes on to tell the story about how, not so long ago, he went to Vancouver to work with a cob-bler named Rino (who he calls “The Shoemaker of the Stars.”) Turns out, they hadn’t talked money before, so instead of being monetarily compen-sated for his services, Finn ended up with the big, green skiving machine. Which was fine by him. It only served to increase his productivity.

When he’s finished his tale, I ask Finn how long it takes to make a pair

t

thE suBtlE aRt oF shoE makingsaskatchewan cobbler Adam finn helps keep an age-old profession alive By AdAM hAwBoldt

you really have to wait … i’m always fighting the urge to keep going.

AdAM fInn

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of shoes. “It all depends on the shoe,” is what he tells me.

The story of how Adam Finn became a cobbler reads like your typical student-seeks-sensei movie line. You know the one: where a young man gets beat up, hikes a mountain and asks the old kung-fu master to teach him how to fight? The master is reluctant at first, but eventually gives in when he sees just how much the young man wants to learn.

Well, the exact same thing hap-pened to Finn. Only he didn’t get beat up, and he didn’t have to hike a mountain.

A few years ago, Finn was living in Montreal doing a ceram-ics degree. He returned home to Saskatoon when he was finished and developed a hankering to learn how to make shoes. Problem was, there weren’t many options. So one day he went back to Montreal, found a shop just down the street from Mont Royal, and asked the old Greek owner, John, if he’d teach him the tricks of the trade. John was resistant at first. “I was like, ‘C’mon, please?’,” remembers Finn. “But he told me people were always coming in asking him the same thing. I didn’t believe him, so I told him I’d be back.”

And for the next two weeks Finn kept going by the shop, asking John if he’d teach him. The answer was al-

ways no. Until one day, John relented and took Finn under his wing.

“I was excited,” says Finn. “But then for the first two weeks or so he wouldn’t let me touch anything. I just stood around and watched what he was doing.”

Finn grew restless, and began asking John to let him do some-thing, make something. But the old cobbler stood fast. Until one day, after he felt his student had paid his dues, John let Finn make his first pair of boots.

Those boots are old and faded now. With their scuff marks and a cut from the time Finn dropped a knife on them, they sit on a shelf near the door of his workshop, next to a pair of shiny, new black boots that are being sent to a customer in Toronto.

Picking up his latest creation, Finn says, “Remember when you asked how long it takes to make a pair of boots? Well, these took about 20 hours of actual work.”

By “actual work” Finn means the number of hours he physically worked on the boots. After the leather is skived it has to be glued. Then he lets it sit for 24 hours to make sure the glue sets. After that the boot is sewn and stretched. The staples need to be taken out of the bottom, then he puts a small, flat metal bar called a shank on the bottom of the boot

to keep it from collapsing. Next comes the soles.

“The glue bonds instantly,” ex-plains Finn. “But just to be safe I put them in a sole press.”

And after that the boots have to be trimmed and healed. The soles have to be sanded and dyed and burnished, and the insoles have to be cut. “In the end, the material re-ally dictates the process,” says Finn,

putting the shiny black boots back on the shelf. “Often I’m waiting for leather to stretch or glue to dry. You really have to wait and take your time before you go to the next step. I’m always fighting the urge to keep going. I’d love to be able to start a pair of shoes, work straight through, finish them in 20 hours.”

And maybe that’s why his men-tor, John, made him stand around

and watch back when Finn was just an apprentice cobbler — to teach him the subtle, but mandatory, art of patience.

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editorialeditorial

he one thing you’ll no-tice if you’ve ever been to most major cities in

Canada is that, once every week or two, there’ll be green bins sitting at the end of driveways.

Those green bins are for organic compost, and you can find them in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamil-ton, Halifax, Charlottetown … the list goes on. And we think it’s time that Regina wet its feet in the curbside composting movement.

Currently, each household can choose to do their own composting under the present waste manage-

ment system, and that’s great, but we think that investing in a new composting facility, and offering curbside composting as part of our regular garbage and recycling collec-tion, will provide many dividends in the future. It’s a smart move that will be good for both the economy and the environment, and since so many other cities have already launched composting programs we have the added benefit of looking at what did and didn’t work for them, and selecting a model that will have the best chance of success here. Like, for instance, the one Nova Scotia uses.

Studied by representatives from Japan, Hong Kong, China, Russia and the United States, Nova Scotia’s cut-ting-edge waste management system includes both recycling and curbside composting. And according to a study conducted by the non-profit research group GPI Atlantic, Nova Scotia’s waste management system saves the province at least $31 million a year — that’s roughly $33 for every person — compared to their old method.

How do they do this? Well, in part because doing so diverts nearly half of Nova Scotia’s waste to recycling and composting, thereby extending the

lifespan of landfills. After all, landfills are anything but inexpensive to build or expand; in 2009, a Saskatoon’s Utili-ty Services General Manager estimated it at around $75 million to build a new

one. And at our current use rate, we’re going to need to build a new one fairly soon: just last year Regina’s manager of landfill operations estimated our dump only has 20 years left.

And along with the money we save by making our landfills last longer, there’s an additional benefit found in Nova Scotia’s current program: em-ployment creation. The waste manage-ment industry valued these additional jobs at between $2.8 and $3.9 million a year. So if Nova Scotia can do it, and make money at the same time, why can’t we?

Now, we understand the initial start-up costs will be rather substan-tial — Saskatoon estimated them in the neighbourhood of $45 million to pick up kitchen waste and compost, so we’d suspect a Regina program would cost a similar amount — but if it could save us cash and even make us money in the long run, why not make the change?

And this isn’t just about econom-ics. A waste management system that picks up our food scraps and other compostable material will

save energy by using recycled and composted material as opposed to materials from virgin resources. And the benefits don’t stop there: accord-ing to Environment Canada, diverting

organic material away from a landfill also reduces methane emissions (a greenhouse gas), and will decrease the risk of groundwater pollution. And producing valuable compost instead of tossing organic matter in the dump seems like a great way to make a little money as well: after all, we are sur-rounded by farmers. So why not sell the rich compost to them?

And that’s why we think that in-stead of dropping some coin to expand our dump or build a whole new one, we should invest in a waste manage-ment system that will actually make us money in the long run, not to mention doing a little something for Mother Na-ture on the side. It’s time to be proactive and invest in curbside composting.

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

tIt’s time we adopt curbside composting

wastE not, want notPhotos: courtesy of Becky strIePe

it’s a smart move that will be good for both the economy and the environment…

VerB MAgAzIne

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commentscomments

text your thoughts to881 VERB

8372

on topic: last week we asked what you thought about mandatory training for “dangerous” dogs. here's what you had to say:

– Re:puppy love article: I agree wholeheartedly! Its time the sup-posed “dangerous” dogs stopped taking the blame & losing their lives because of the way they were raised! I’m sure your co-worker wouldn’t even have run if it had been a Chihuahua not a big dog! Not only should they have to pass training & tests but the treason they want that type of dog should be investigated as well! Some want them to be mean! And finally I believe all breeders should be shut down until every “unwanted” dog has a good loving home as all too often its the “dangerous” breeds that sorely need one!

– Verb, I do not make a habit of reading your magazine, however today at work I picked up a copy and proceeded to read the edito-rial “Puppy Love”. Although I can’t argue that the statistics speak for themselves when it comes to attacks made my pitbulls and rottweilers, I am concerned by the idea of singling out only these dogs requiring extra training by the owners. As it says at the end of the editorial: “Owning a dog is a privilege, not a right.” Personally, I think making it more an effort to adopt certain dogs will make it less likely these dogs get adopted. For the wellbeing of all dogs, I think the playing field shouls be levelled and all potential dog owners should be tested on their knowledge and responsibility. This would surely decrease the incidence of neglect and abuse of all dog breeds. It’s for the good of the animal.

– Good idea for ownsrs of certain dogs to get “certified”. Unfortu-nately I have seen much to often that the owners of these types of

dogs want the dogs to be overly ag-gressive. It seems to be this macho idea people have. “I am a coward and have no balls at all but look how mean my dog is. So that shows you I am better than you and don’t disagree or I will sick my dog on you.” People with overly aggres-sive mutts should be shot, the dog is innocent. I say just ban certain breeds, they are useless to begin with. The owners are useless too, unfortunately we can’t ban them.

– Way to go supporting that “dog trainer lobby” Verb. Between you & the Saskparty supporting used car dealers through vehicle inspec-tions there’ll be no freedom.

– Agree that mandatory training is a great thing that would benefit the animal, but disagree it should only be limited to dangerous dogs. Start there then make it for every dog? I know a few small ones that display agressive behavior that could be dangerous for a kid obviously not an adult though. This plan sounds like an inconvenience for owners but will benefit the animals in the long run and that is the most important thing to remember.

– Putting the onus on the owners to take resonsibility for their ani-mals is brilliant. If you take your animal out into a public space then you are totally responsible for what it does. So many people see a puppy and think its cute let’s get it and then don’t know how to raise it properly. These aren’t toys people theyre real animals and you need to take better care of them. Heartbreaking when you see an agressive dog that you know is that way from bad owners. :(

oFF topic

– Loved the review and love silver-stein! I just with the band what ac-tually happened with Neil instead of being so vague or not answering. Long time fans want to know.

In response to “This is how the wind shifts,”

Arts, #80 (May 31, 2013)

– Love Astronautalis nice to see some coverage of hip hop in the verb. Keep it up!

In response to “Whatever the hell I want,”

Feature, #80 (May 31, 2013)

sound oFF

– Why is it so strange to people that I am not on facebook, don’t drive a fancy car and rent instead of own? At 37, I have seen alot of the world and because my face isn’t plastered to a screen all day… I have REAL conversations with REAL people. Nothing will or can ever beat that!Come on world, take a step back and just BE.

– http://m.news1130.com/2013/06/05/city-of-abbots-ford-dumps-manure-on-homeless-campsite/: re. Chicken manure dumped at homeless camp site in Abbotsford,BC by municipal work-ers. Some people might think it’s funny but it’s really appalling!! :-(

– I went to the clinic. I told the doctor “Doc I think I have Bieber Fever all over again! And this time maybe some Gomez Chills!” Last time he prescibed two weeks of Nickelback and Avril Lavigne. This time he prescribed four weeks of Anne Murray and BTO.

– Too many innocent people losing their lives in the line of duty. RIP Justin Knackstedt.

– Awesome comment on the Blades being a bunch of sissy cry-baby choke artists I laughed my a$$ off! LMAO :-D

– Somebody better get a hefty sam-ple of our finest into Sir Paul’s hands or he’ll think this place sucks!

– Halfway through watching game 2 of the Penguins series is starting to look a lot like watching the 2 Blades home playoff games! - ZJT

– What pet peeves do you have? Time to vent and share. For me it’s loud vehicles and teens who don’t respect the elderly!

– Sometimes when I get up in the morning I have all the bedding

wound around my legs. That’s just the way I roll!

– Splashing yourself in the face while going at a urinal is DOWNtown!

nExt wEEk: what do you think about bringing curbside composting to regina? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation:

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

powEREd By thE cREw at moga moBilE

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8may 31 – June 6

q + a

saskatchEwan’s FaVouRitE BRothERs

a

the karpinka Bros. talk brotherly love, writing songs, and the art of giving back By Alex J MAcPherson

We’re like a rugged prizefighter who’s always training, hoping for a shot.

AAron kArPInkA

Photos: courtesy of shAnnon heAther

lthough their fine collection of cowboy shirts makes them

immediately recognizable, Aaron and Shawn Karpinka are much more than sharply dressed men. After making a pair of records and playing dozens of raucous shows, the Karpinka Brothers have become a vital part of the Saskatchewan scene — musicians whose ability to write infectious folk-inspired rock songs is eclipsed only by their love of playing them for everybody. Today, the K-Bros are bringing electric instruments onboard and playing more shows than ever, all while finding time to give back to the community that came together around their songs. I caught up with the brothers for a conversation about the past, present, and future of Saskatoon’s favourite band.

Alex J MacPherson: Have you guys always played music together, or was the band really the flowering of your musical relationship?

Shawn Karpinka: It was later. We tried to start bands, but it was always frustrating trying to find people

that had the same ambitions or musical tastes.

Aaron Karpinka: You switch and you’re like, ‘Let’s go hide out and work at our craft and get

better at what we love to do.’ Then let’s come back and go full blast.

This seems like the best way to maintain some momentum, relying on ourselves.

AJM: And that evolution is apparent on your two records. The first feels like testing the waters, There Is A Light like a more realized vision.

AK: We finished the second one and I said, ‘This really feels like our first record.’ As a matter of fact, the first record we recorded in 2008 was us, no headphones, standing in our sock feet, one-taking 17 songs. It was to pass around, because no-body knew what we sounded like. We were having a fair amount of trouble getting gigs, trying to figure out how to break in.

AJM: There Is A Light is stripped-down and almost all acoustic. But

you guys are using electric guitars now. Is that something people can expect more of?

AK: There’s no electric on the record. It happened right after, and it was no different than when I first got a mandolin — I just have a natural curiosity and a gut instinct about switching to something. If I want to try it, I will try it and I’ll throw it in. And it worked well.

SK: I’ve kept playing the acoustic, and we did have a debate about it, but that’s all push and pull between the two of us, and meeting in the middle.

AJM: So how does brotherly love survive the tension of being in a band?

AK: We know each other so well that we know where the line is, so I don’t cross it. If I’m having a bad day I might tap dance on it a bit, but I’ll never go over it. Out of love and out of respect you don’t go over it.

AJM: And in between your first gig and now, you guys have become a big part of the music scene. How did that come about?

AK: We’re like a rugged prizefighter who’s always training, hoping for a shot. We’ve taken things short notice,

day before. Rich Taylor was doing a thing once and three bands dropped out. We went to the nearest phone booth, switched to the matching shirts, and we were there. We’re proud to be able to do that at the drop of a hat.

AJM: And now you’re at the point where giving back to the community, playing free shows for people all over, has become a big part of what you do.

AK: If I can get a show where I’m play-ing with Gordon Lightfoot, and the first song I learned to play on guitar is “Early Morning Rain,” then I should probably be giving back every single shred I can give back for the rest of our life.

SK: That’s part of our philosophy, trying to give to as much charity as we can.

The Karpinka Brothers @ MoSoFestJune 15 @ Broadway theatre (saskatoon)$20+ @ Picatic

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arts

p unk is not a style of music or a fashion statement or

an aesthetic. Punk is an attitude. And nowhere is this more appar-ent than on Down Side Up, the sec-ond full-length album released by the Los Angeles-based bluegrass band, Old Man Markley.

Conceived by a group of friends who loved punk rock but wanted to play bluegrass, Old Man Markley follows the same road traveled by bands like the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. But instead of

injecting punk with Celtic flavours, the members of Old Man Markley draw on music that hits closer to home — the timeless sounds of American bluegrass.

“I still remember the day our singer came home — I was living with him and his wife at the time — and he had been listening to an Old Crow Medicine Show record,” relates Ryan Markley. “He said, ‘Ryan, we’re starting a bluegrass band.’ He was in a punk rock band, I was in another punk rock band. I played drums, but I said, ‘Okay, I call washboard.’”

After releasing Guts n’ Teeth in 2011, the band embarked on a lengthy tour that included a jaunt through Canada with their Fat Wreck Chords labelmates, NOFX. Then they headed back into the studio to cut Down Side Up, which was released in March.

Energetic, enthusiastic, and deeply political, Down Side Up hits all of the notes expected from a punk record. But instead of playing electric guitars through screaming Marshalls, the members of Old Man

Markley make noise with acoustic guitars, an autoharp, an upright bass — and, of course, Markley’s washboard. While it might seem strange for a bluegrass band to find success in Los Angeles, Markley tells a different story.

“We thought that, too, until we started a bluegrass band,” he ex-plains. “Once we started playing in Los Angeles, we realized that there was a really big folk scene out here,

and it’s very popular.” But the grow-ing popularity of Old Man Markley is not necessarily a product of the scene from which they emerged, or even the famous label they call home. It is a reflection of their music: raw, authentic, fast, fun, and above all, honest.

Old Man MarkleyJune 19 @ the exchange$10 @ ticketedge.ca

Photo: courtesy of fAt wreck chords

tPhoto: courtesy of fAceBook

he Sled Island Music and Arts Festival was founded

in 2007 by a Calgary entrepreneur determined to inject his city with a strong dose of loud music and great entertainment. The first iteration featured local heroes Woodpigeon and Chad VanGaalen alongside a talented group of bands from Canada and the United States, and the festival has grown ever

since. This year, a Regina promoter decided to help out many of the less-well-known bands, many of whom are eager to play as many shows as possible during their time in western Canada.

“I was getting a lot of emails from bands who were touring around Sled Island, looking for shows in Regina and around Regina,” says Emily Ritenburg, explaining that the

sheer number of emails prompted the creation of a one-night festival, a chance to show off bands bound for the big stages in Calgary. “Finally, I said, ‘What the heck, I’ll just embrace these Sled Island bands that are wanting to play shows in Regina.’”

Toboggan Island, which Ritenburg organized, is a one-night, three-ven-ue affair featuring acts from across Canada and the United States, as well as a large number of bands from Re-gina, Moose Jaw, and Saskatoon. “I’ve never organized a festival, but I do a lot of the smaller touring bands,” she says. “It’s all about supporting bands that are trying to make a few bucks and get their name out.”

Although each show includes performances by at least six bands,

some of whom are virtually un-known on the prairies, Ritenburg secured some prominent acts to headline the performances: Code Orange Kids, a hardcore band from Pittsburgh; Toronto hardcore group Burning Love; and Rehashed, a metal group from Saskatoon.

The Regina music scene has grown dramatically over the last several years, much like Sled Island, but Ritenburg says getting people out to shows can be difficult. She hopes Toboggan Island, which is set up to allow concert-goers to jump from one event to the next with minimal hassle, should demonstrate that the Queen City is ready for larger music events.

“We don’t have a lot of events like this,” she explains. “We do have

Regina Folk Festival, which is always a great time, and they often get some of the smaller bands involved. But Toboggan Island is very nice because it showcases a number of Saskatch-ewan bands, as well as bands from across Canada and the States. It’s a good mixture.”

Toboggan Island18 June @ the club, the exchange & 11 hooks studio$17.50ea/$40.50 three-show pass @ tobogganisland.com

@VerbRegina

[email protected]


punk BluEgRass old Man Markley show that punk is more than a style of music by alex J macPherson

a Fitting sEnd-oFF regina promoter organizes sled Island preview by alex J macPherson


10may 31 – June 6

Continued on next page »

l

how wE FillEd thE Vault

You really can’t characterize [this collection] in a single word, style, or look. it’s just too diverse and wonderful.

tIMothy long

Photo: courtesy of cydney toth

ast summer, the MacKen-zie Art Gallery staged an exhibition of artwork col-

lected by Norman MacKenzie, the lawyer whose donation of paint-ings and sculptures formed the nucleus of the gallery that bears his name. Ruins To Renaissance: The Rise of The MacKenzie Bequest highlighted the depth of MacK-enzie’s collection, which focused on works by Canadian artists and European masters, as well as many more exotic objects. How We Filled the Vault: Sixty Years Of Collecting At The MacKenzie Art Gallery picks up where Ruins To Renaissance left off. It features objects from the

gallery’s permanent collection, a group of almost four thousand

works donated to and purchased by the gallery since it opened in 1953. But How We Filled The Vault

is much more than an examination of six decades of art in Saskatch-

ewan: it is a look back at the people whose vision is reflected in the collection they helped build.

Feature

the Mackenzie Art gallery celebrated sixty years of collecting fine art at home and abroad By Alex J MAcPherson

/Verbregina culturecontents local editorial comments q + a arts Feature Food + drink music listings nightliFe Film comics timeout

11may 31 – June 6

Photo: courtesy of MAckenzIe Art gAllery


@VerbRegina

[email protected]

“The way the show is set up, it looks at the collection decade by decade: how did the various direc-tors and curators go about building a collection?” explains Timothy Long, who is head curator at the MacKenzie. “It starts in the 1950s with the formation of the MacKen-zie Art Gallery, which started out as a little one-room stucco building on College Avenue, and was later expanded in 1957. What you see at that point is the community enthusi-asm for a new gallery.”

Among the most important early donors were organizations run for and by women, including the Regina Local Council of Women and the University Women’s Club. These groups were instrumental in drawing attention to art made by women, an early example of the gallery’s broad mandate. “They were very support-ive of professional women artists working mostly in Ontario and other parts of Canada,” Long says, pointing to Mary Wrinch’s “The Fire Ranger’s Canoe, Agawa River, Algoma,” which he says stands up with work being produced by the Group of Seven at the time. “It reminds me of the important role that these groups played in keeping the arts alive in this city when there wasn’t an art gallery to provide the focus for that activity in the city.”

The gallery’s seminal years were presided over by Ronald Bloore, who served as director between 1958 and 1966. Although Bloore is best known as a member of the Regina Five, a group of painters who charted a new course for Canadian abstraction by aligning themselves with works emanating from New York, his con-tribution to the MacKenzie is no less

important. “He really changed the face of the gallery, and established it as a force not just locally but nation-

ally,” Long says. “I’m amazed to see the things he did here at the gallery during his tenure. It’s truly a record of accomplishment.”

It is a common misconception that art galleries are comprehen-sive and unbiased. They are neither. Public art galleries reflect the views and attitudes of the people who oversee them. Bloore was given a broad mandate to organize exhibitions and collect new works, and his vision is imprinted on the collection he helped build. A firm believer in Canadian nationalism, Bloore sought out pieces of art that rivalled works emerging from the United States and from Europe. Long refers to works by Guido Mo-linari and Greg Curnoe as examples of Bloore’s vision. “You can’t think of two artists more dissimilar,” he says. “Molinari the hard-edge abstractionist — very cool, very detached. Then you’ve got this wild-eyed young pop artist, Greg Curnoe, who is shaking things up in London, Ontario.”

But Bloore’s interest in iconic ob-jects extended beyond big canvases. In 1959, he arranged to purchase “These Good Old Thrashing Days” by Jan Wyers, a stunning example of Sas-katchewan folk art. “I think the board called it Bloore’s Folly,” Long says with a laugh, “but he wasn’t afraid to stick his neck out.” Bloore demon-strated this courage on more than one occasion. Perhaps his most impor-tant acquisition was the 1961 Cape Dorset Portfolio, a collection of prints produced in a tiny village on the southern tip of Baffin Island. “It’s been decades since we’ve shown it,” Long says. “We couldn’t get all 83 prints up, but we got about half of them up on one wall, hung five high. For me, it’s the highlight of the show. I think it’s absolutely stunning to see that work, how powerful it is, how every piece in that portfolio is a masterpiece. It’s just astonishing to see the flowering of Inuit visual expression.”

The gallery’s collecting activities took a sharp turn in the 1970s under the direction of Nancy Dillow. Unlike Bloore, whose artistic sensibilities fa-voured the iconic, Dillow was driven by more practical considerations. “She was very much about the profession-alization of the institution, of setting up systems and education programs,

integrating the activities of the gallery into university life in a scholarly way,” Long explains. “That’s reflected in the development of a print and drawing collection that focuses on European works on paper from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which she initiates as a teaching collection.” This collection, which includes pieces by Paul Gauguin and Pablo Picasso, traces the development of modernism through the 19th and 20th centuries. And seeing them creates the sort of frisson that can only be produced by the feeling of intersecting with the great arc of history.

Dillow was also responsible for adding to the collection of works by Joe Fafard, Vic Cicansky, and Marilyn Levine. Long has referred to “Regina Clay” as an important epoch in the development of Saskatchewan art, and Dillow sought out works by some of the most important ceramicists in the province. On the other hand, the influence of curator Terry Fenton led to the acquisition of Hans Hofmann’s “Capriccioso,” a stunning example of American abstract expressionism and proof that the gallery has always looked for truly great works.

Perhaps the biggest shift in the permanent collection occurred during the 1980s, under the direction of Carol Phillips and Andrew Oko. During this period, the gallery procured its first works by contemporary aborigi-nal artists. The MacKenzie had for decades been interested in acquiring indigenous art, but in the 1980s there was a recognition that contemporary aboriginal artists were making great works. “Indigenous artists are ad-dressing often the same concerns, or the same concerns from a different angle, as other contemporary artists,” Long explains. “And that it needed to be looked at as contemporary art, first and foremost, and not always as this separate category, which can lead to a kind of ghettoization.” It is no ac-cident that these works are integrated with, and not separated from, the rest of the collection.

How We Filled The Vault also includes many newer pieces, some of which have never been shown.

Most were procured under the watchful eyes of Long and director Kate Davis. Works by Ed Pien and Aganetha Dyck are good examples of current collecting policy. The gallery acquired Pien’s “The Sacred Tree,” a massive ink-and-paper cutout, in 2011. It received several works by Dyck, whose experiments with do-mestic sculpture in the wider world hint broadly at the rise of second wave feminism, after an exhibi-tion of her work last autumn. And the gallery continues to add pieces, and Long hopes he can bring more contemporary video works as well as fine craft works from Saskatchewan into the collection.

Ultimately, How We Filled The Vault is not an epitaph; it is a work in

progress. And while the exhibition does not develop a single theme or idea save the diversity of the collec-tion, it stands as both a testament to the individuals who helmed the gal-lery in the past, as well as a blueprint for the future. “This collection is very broad,” Long says with a laugh. “You really can’t characterize it in a single word, style, or look. It’s just too diverse and wonderful.”

How We Filled the Vault through september 1 @ Mackenzie Art gallery

1. Victor Cicansky, Root Cellar, 1982, clay

and glaze and wood.


12may 31 – June 6

12may 24 – may 30

Food + drink

not youR mom and pop yoguRt shop

@VerbRegina

[email protected]


lEt’s go dRinkin’ VERB’s mixology guidE

FRozEn stRawBERRy

daiQuiRi smoothiE

What’s better than a strawberry daiquiri on a hot summer day? A frozen strawberry daiquiri smoothie, of course. Bonus: alcohol disguised in a fruit smoothie makes day drinking so much more acceptable.

ingREdiEnts

4-6 tbsp. white rum1/2 tsp. lime juice1 tsp. orange juice3 fresh strawberries; hulled2 scoops strawberry sorbetIceStrawberry slices to decorate (optional)

not only do they enthusiastically encourage unbridled yogurt sampling…

VIctorIA ABrAhAM

Photos courtesy of maxton Priebe

diREctions

Place the rum, lime juice, orange juice, strawberries and the strawberry sorbet into your smoothie blender and process slowly until smooth. Pour over ice and serve. Decorate with strawberry slices.

he first thing you hear when you enter the brightly lit, hot pink

and neon green Menchie’s frozen yogurt shop is a cheery “Hi, wel-come to Menchie’s. Have you been here before?”

If the answer is no, then you get a tour and the opportunity to sample as many yogurt flavours as you want for free before you commit. Trust me, you want a tour, because that’s when you learn how the three-handle, two-flavour yogurt dispensers work, and how the middle handle swirls the two flavours together for a delicious, per-fectly balanced, swirly masterpiece.

If the answer is yes (almost everyone who came in while I was there was a repeat customer), then you’re free to indulge in what-ever combination of flavours and

toppings your froyo-loving heart desires.

This is all part of the Menchie customer experience that co-owners Laura Keuler and Kimberly Sebastian think make their little shop different from other froyo places in the city. Not only do they enthusiastically encour-age unbridled yogurt sampling, but they also think their yogurt, which (with the exception of the tart flavours) comes from an organic farm in British Columbia, is the best tasting.

After meeting at radiation therapy school ten years ago, Keuler and Se-bastian decided they wanted to open a business together. They were look-ing for something healthy and fun, and the Menchie’s franchise offered the perfect opportunity.

Since February, Menchie’s has been satisfying sweet toothed customers of

all ages with more than 100 rotating flavours that include indulgent options such as juicy watermelon tart, cake batter, New York cheesecake, straw-

berry vanilla dream, and butter pecan. And just in case cake batter yogurt isn’t enough, you can choose from more than 50 toppings, which include everything from fresh fruit to yogurt covered pretzels, mini chocolate malt balls, gummy eggs, and cookie dough.

I chose to go all out; after all you only live once, right? My

concoction consisted of red velvet cupcake yogurt with peanut butter sauce, Skor pieces, peanut butter chips, coconut, and cashews. De-

spite looking like an absolute mess, it was delicious.

For the people who are inter-ested in a healthy froyo experience,

Menchie’s offers gluten free, kosher, sugar free and dairy free options.

The best thing about it all is you don’t have to suffer from decision paralysis because you can put as much of whatever decadent or healthy stuff you want into your sizeable cup or waffle bowl.

Menchies1010 Pasqua street n | 306 525 9866

Menchie’s satisfies even the pickiest froyo lover with an abundance of flavours and toppings By VIctorIA ABrAhAM

t

@Verbregina culturecontents local editorial comments q + a arts Feature Food + drink music listings nightliFe Film comics timeout

13may 31 – June 6

music

Photos courtesy of: the ArtIst/ the ArtIst/ the ArtIst

Coming upnext Week

smokEy RoBinson

Simply put: Smokey Robinson is a Motown legend. He was the founder and frontman of The Miracles. He served as vice president of Motown. And between 1962 and 1966 he wrote such songs as “My Girl” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do” for The Temptations, “Opera-tor” for Brenda Holloway, and “Ain’t That Peculiar” for Marvin Gaye. In 1972, the singer/songwriter/record executive from Detroit retired from The Miracles and, the following year, lit out on a solo career that is still mo-seying on — forty years later. Along the way Robinson has won Gram-mys, pumped out hits like “Cruisin” and “Baby That’s Backatcha,” and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’ll be bringing his signature R&B/soul sound to Queen City this week. Tickets through www.casinoregina.com

@ cAsIno regInAFriday and saturday, June 14th-15th – $90-100

Welcome to local talent Camer-on Wensel’s musical project, Black Drink Crier. And what a project it is! On the one hand you have Wensel’s self-assured vocal prow-ess and frank, telling lyrics. On the other, you have post-country favourites the Lazy MKs, who have put aside their own unique sound to work with Wensel. The result is an act called Black Drink Crier, and with a down-to-earth, folky (almost country) sound, their album Porch Fire pays a fine homage to prairie life with their songs laced with nos-talgia, warmth, heartache and love. They’ll be playing the Artesian next week as part of the Party4Pastures Benefit Concert, along with Down Home Boys, Glenn Sutter and The Midnight Roses. Advance tickets available at Mysteria Gallery and Fresh Air Experience.

Black dRink cRiER

Remember 1997? Princess Di got into a deadly car accident. Steve Jobs returned to Apple. South Park premiered. The comet Hale-Bopp tore through Earth’s orbit while “MMMBop” by the Hanson brothers was busy tearing up the music charts. Sung by brothers Isaac (guitar/piano/vocals), Taylor (keyboards/piano/gui-tar/drums/vocals) and Zac Hanson (drums/piano/guitar/vocals), the song was nominated for a Grammy and reached #1 in 27 countries around the world. Since then, the brothers have continued making mu-sic and garnering fans from around the world. With 12 tours under their belts, the brothers have been nothing if not busy. They are slated to release their latest album, Anthem, later this month, and are currently on tour again. Don’t miss them when they stop by Regina in October.

– By Adam hawboldt

hanson

@ ArtesIAn on 13thFriday, June 21st – $25+

@ cAsIno regInAFriday, october 4 – $tBd

keep up with saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

sask music pREViEwSaskMusic congratulates Dallas Elder, who just won the 36th Annual 620 CKRM Big Country Talent Contest! A big congratulations goes out to the second place winner, Tenille Arts; third place winner, Catlin Beaton; and the “Fred King Most Promising” was awarded to Cassandra Tomolak. Dallas’ first performance will take place on June 22 at the Casino Regina Show Lounge. Tickets at http://www.ticketbreak.com/casinoregina

Verbnews.comentertainment contents local editorial comments q + a arts Feature Food + drink music listings nightliFe Film comics timeout

14may 31 – June 6

listingslistings

The most complete live music listings for Regina.

JunE 7 » JunE 15

7 8

14 1512 1310 119

s m t w t

Have a live show you'd like to promote? Let us know!

gEt listEd

[email protected]

FRiday 7la hora loca with Dr. BirD anD Blue Beat / Artful Dodger — Come check it

out! 8pm / Cover TBD

crawling from the ashes, ViriD / The

Club — Local alt-rock groups. 7:30pm /

Cover TBD

yes we mystic, Danny goertz / Cre-

ative City Centre — Indie folk from Win-

nipeg and Regina that’s sure to entertain.

7pm / $10

DJ Juan lopez / Envy Nightclub — This

DJ loves requests, nothing is off limits, so

come on down and see what’s going on.

10pm / $5

port noise, BrainDeaD romeo, ma-Jetik / The Exchange — A trio of Regina

rockers. 8pm / $5 from band members

DJ pat & DJ kim / Habano’s Martini &

Cocktail Club — Local DJs spin top 40 hits

every Friday night that are sure to get you

on the dance floor. 9pm /

$5 cover

Big chill friDays / Lancaster Taphouse

— Come out and get your weekend

started with DJ Fatbot, who’ll be doing

his spinning thing every Friday night.

10pm / Cover TBD

sean Burns BanD / McNally’s Tavern

— A talented singer/songwriter from

Ontario. 10pm / $5

the serVice / Pump Roadhouse — A

rockin’ four-piece from Winnipeg. 9pm

/ Cover TBD

alBert / Pure Ultra Lounge — Appear-

ing every Friday night, come listen to

Albert as he does his spinning thing.

10pm / $5 cover

DJ longhorn / Whiskey Saloon —

Come check out one of Regina’s most

interactive DJs as he drops some of the

best country beats around. 8pm /

Cover TBD

tim romanson / Whiskey Saloon —

Country done right. 10pm / $5

satuRday 8ana egge, Don amero / Artful Dodger

— Two creative and innovative musi-

cians. 8pm / Cover TBD

manDy eBel, sean folk / The Club —

An award-winning singer-songwriter

will be performing her soulful, edgy

vocals. 8:30pm / $5+

DJ Juan lopez / Envy Nightclub —

This DJ loves requests, nothing is off

limits, so come on down and see what’s

going down. 10pm / $5

BinDer twine anD the Balers, grain report, the rusty augers / The Exchange — Badass bluegrass for

your listening pleasure. 7:30pm / $15

(advance), $20 (door)

sean Burns BanD / McNally’s Tavern

— A talented singer/songwriter from

Ontario. 10pm / $5

the serVice / Pump Roadhouse — A

rockin’ four-piece from Winnipeg. 9pm

/ Cover TBD

Drewski / Pure Ultra Lounge — Do-

ing what he does best, every Saturday

night. Come on down and dance the

night away with this local DJ. 10pm /

$5 cover

tim romanson / Whiskey Saloon —

Country done right. 10pm / $5

sunday 9silVerstein / The Exchange — A rock

band from Ontario. Also appearing: The

Wonder Years, Short Story and more.

7pm / $25 (ticketedge.ca)

monday 10scott perrie cD release / Artful

Dodger — With Belle Plaine, Jeremy

Sauer, and Keiran Semple. 7:30pm /

Cover TBD

monDay night Jazz / Bushwakker

Brewpub — Featuring Shane Reoch.

8pm / No cover

tuEsday 11manDy eBel + open mic night / Boca-

dos — Award-winning songstress from

Alberta. 8:30pm / No cover

wEdnEsday 12weDnesDay night folk / Bushwak-

ker Brewpub — Featuring Dr. Bird and

Bluebeat. 9pm / No cover

poor young things / The Exchange —

Don’t sleep on this pop-rock band. 8pm

/ Cover TBD

Jam night anD open stage / McNal-

ly’s Tavern — Come on down and enjoy

some local talent, or grab the mic and

show off what you got. 9pm / No cover

thuRsday 13JorDan raycroft, tanner James / Artful Dodger — A little bit of folk, a

little bit of soul, a whole lot of goodness.

8pm / Cover TBD

keVin kasha / Bushwakker Brewpub —

A tribute to Miles Davis. 9pm / $10

noire, Dystopian wastelanD / The

Club — Hard-rocking metal for a Thurs-

day evening. 7:30pm / $5

DeciBel frequency / Gabbo’s Night-

club — A night of electronic fun. 10pm

/ Cover $5

ps fresh / The Hookah Lounge — DJ

Ageless started spinning in Montreal,

DJ Drewski started in Saskatoon. They

both landed in Regina and have come

together to sling some bomb beats. 7pm

/ No cover

open mic night / King’s Head Tavern

— Come out, play some tunes, sing

some songs, and show Regina what you

got. 8pm / No cover

JoVial push / McNally’s Tavern —

Come out and support local talent.

8:30pm / $5

wonDerlanD / Pump Roadhouse — A

one-hit wonder tribute band. 9pm /

Cover TBD




best country beats around to get you up

and moving. 8pm / Cover TBD

amy nelson / Whiskey Saloon — A

local country songstress. 10pm / $5

FRiday 14ghost keeper, paper Beat scissors, gianna lauren / Artful Dodger — A

night of laid back folk and alt-rock

tunes. 8pm / Cover TBD

BrainDeaD romeo, electric mother, meJia / The Club — Also featuring

Die While We’re Young and Port Noise.

6:30pm / $5




going on. 10pm / $5

uBt / The Exchange — Psychedelic ga-

rage pop music from Montreal. 7:30pm

/ Cover TBD

DJ pat & DJ kim / Habano’s Martini &

Cocktail Club — Local DJs spin top 40

hits every Friday night that are sure to

get you on the dance floor. 9pm /

$5 cover

Big chill friDays / Lancaster Taphouse

— Come out and get your weekend

started with DJ Fatbot, who’ll be doing

his spinning thing every Friday night.

10pm / Cover TBD

Darcy playgrounD / McNally’s Tavern

— Classic rock and pop covers all night

long. 10pm / $5


one-hit wonder tribute band. 9pm /

Cover TBD




best country beats around. 8pm /

Cover TBD



satuRday 15the steaDies / Artful Dodger — Dance,

rock, reggae all rolled up into one. 8pm

/ Cover TBD




going on. 10pm / $5

BlooDline, magnetic, league of one / The Exchange — A CD release party

for Regina’s Bloodline. 7:30pm /

Cover TBD

alley 14 / McNally’s Tavern — A five-

piece classic rock and blues party band.

10pm / $5


one-hit wonder tribute band, rocking

your socks off all night long. 9pm /

Cover TBD



/Verbregina entertainmentcontents local editorial comments q + a arts Feature Food + drink music listings nightliFe Film comics timeout

15may 31 – June 6

nightliFenightliFe

Photography by Bebzphoto

check out our faceBook page! These photos will be uploaded to

Facebook on Friday, June 14.

facebook.com/verbregina

satuRday, JunE 1 @

lancastER taphousEThe Lancaster Taphouse4529 Gordon Road(306) 570 2323

music ViBe / Indie, folk and rockDrink of choice / Lancaster lemonade top eats / Ale pretzelssomething new / Rawlco Radio will now be broadcasting Riders’ away games from the Lancaster Taphouse, with prizes and giveaways, and the Scotland Yard 2 patio will be opening soon


16may 31 – June 6

16may 24 – may 30

hat would you do if, for one night a year, you could

commit any crime you wanted and not be punished? Murder, rape, larceny, assault with a deadly weapon — you name it. They’re all up for grabs. No. Punishment. Whatsoever.

Given that opportunity, how would you conduct yourself? Would you be your normal, law-abiding self and remain out-of-sight-out-of-mind until the night passed? Or would you give in to the beast inside, grab a chainsaw and hit the streets in a frenzy of wild, atavistic bloodlust?

That’s the central question of the new thriller, The Purge. Okay, maybe “question” is the wrong word. It’s more of the central premise that raises questions.

Here, let me set the scene for you: America. The year is 2022. Unem-ployment hovers around the 1% mark, the GDP is soaring, and crime is all but non-existent.

It’s March 21st. Or, as people in the not-so-distant future call it — Purge

Night. The night when, from 7pm to 7am, citizens of America get immu-nity from any crime they commit.

A well-to-do security salesman named James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) returns home to his wife Mary (Lena Headey), son Charlie (Max Burkholder) and daughter Zoey (Adelaide Kane). They settle in for the night to wait out the Purge, and James presses a button to “arm” his house. Thick metal shut-ters close over the windows and doors, turning their not-so-humble abode into a veritable fortress on lockdown. And for a while they’re safe.

But when Charlie hears a home-less man outside screaming for help, his conscience gets the better of him. He disarms the house, and the home-less man scampers into safety.

Or has he?For a while things are tense. But

once the tension begins to ease, things pick up in a hurry. A group of rich teens, led by a grinning psychopath (Rhys Wakefield), ap-proaches the house and gives the Sandins an ultimatum: deliver the

homeless guy to them in an hour or everyone in the house will be killed.

The homeless man isn’t handed over. Violence and terror ensue. And

while some of the terror is somewhat predictable, that doesn’t detract from the fact that The Purge is a pretty good dystopian, sci-fi thriller. Think Straw Dogs meets The Twilight Zone meets, say, The Hunger Games.

And like any good dystopian flick, The Purge takes issues facing modern society — racism, disparity of wealth, crime, mob mentality, etc. — turns them inside out, lays them bare and, in doing so, provides an examination of modern society and human nature.

It does this under the assured, steady direction of James DeMo-naco (The Negotiator, Assault on Precinct 13), who does a good job of moving the story in a way that,

at least for the first hour or so, creates a ball of tension in the pit of your gut that you just can’t get rid of. Sure, as the climax and end approach that tension starts to wane a bit,which kind of takes away from what the film could’ve been.

But even then, chances are The Purge is going to be the most entertaining movie you watch in theatres this week.

Film

w

The Purge takes issues facing modern society [and] turns them inside out…

AdAM hAwBoldt

thE puRgE

diREctEd By James DeMonaco

staRRing Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey,

Max Burkholder + Adelaide Kane

85 minutEs | 14a


@VerbRegina

[email protected]

Photo: courtesy of unIVersAl PIctures

new dystopian thriller The Purge will get your pulse racing and mind thinking By AdAM hAwBoldt

cRimE and non-punishmEnt

@Verbregina entertainmentcontents local editorial comments q + a arts Feature Food + drink music listings nightliFe Film comics timeout

17may 31 – June 6

hings you need to know about Justin Ludwig: 1) he was raised a Catholic,

whose faith was ingrained in him through church, school and a strict, religious father; 2) by age 16 he was an atheist; 3) he’s the bassist and the lead singer in a punk band called Kleins96, which is “an atheist bea-con on the Prairies”; 4) he recently made a documentary.

That documentary is called ChristCORE, and it’s about hardcore Christian punk music.

If the idea of punk music combined with Christianity sounds rather con-flicting to you, don’t worry. It was for Ludwig, too.

In the beginning of the film, Ludwig talks about how punk music changed his life. How it challenged and defied everything he knew to be true and, ultimately, undid his Catho-lic faith. For him, hardcore punk is all about “self-reliance, progressiveness, heresy and hedonism,” so the idea of Christians co-opting his music and using it to spread the word of the

Lord was conflicting and crushing. He simply couldn’t believe “people were making this music about a God that [he] believed the music was meant to tear down.”

So Ludwig did something about it. He hopped on a plane and headed to the American South to

find out what this music, and the people who play it, are all about.

To do this, he spent time on tour with a new band called Messengers, and a popular, established band called Sleeping Giant.

At this point you may be think-ing: “Hold on. An atheist, hellbent on tearing down religion, is making a documentary about religious bands? This is going to be a biased

skewering of the people he’s film-ing.” If that thought crossed your mind, think again.

ChristCORE is not about exposing the (perceived) hypocrisy inherent in the music. It’s not about exposing these bands as right-wing Christian zealots or making fun of what they’re doing.

No, the documentary is an honest, unbiased account of this music, these bands, and their fans. Which is refresh-ing. In this day and age, when so many documentaries are slanted to suit the director’s ideals, it’s nice to see a doc that isn’t heavy-handed. Ludgwig’s method of approaching his subject matter with “open ears and an open mind” allows viewers to formulate their own opinions about what’s taking place on screen.

Which brings me to the one thing that gnawed at me after watching the movie. Mainly, Ludwig sets out to find what Christian hardcore punk is about, what makes these people tick and, ultimately, how to reconcile the idea of punk and Christianity being combined. But for all the questions he asks there are no real definitive answers that help the viewer get to the bottom of things.

And that’s not to say it’s a bad docu-mentary. Because it’s not. ChristCORE is actually quite interesting. By inviting

the viewer into a world they may not know about, ChristCORE opens up unfamiliar doors and, for some, maybe opens minds. Being the dummy that I am, though, I just wish there were more answers. But maybe that wasn’t Ludwig’s intention.

ChristCORE will be screened at Regina Public Library beginning on June 14.

Photo: courtesy of fAceBook

It’s not about exposing these bands as right-wing Christian zealots or making fun of what they’re doing.

AdAM hAwBoldt

chRistcoRE

diREctEd By Justin Ludwig

74 minutEs | nR

chRistian haRdcoRE punk? what thE what? new saskatchewan-produced documentary, ChristCORE, explores the world of an interesting music genre By AdAM hAwBoldt

t


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/Verbregina entertainmentcontents local editorial comments q + a arts Feature Food + drink music listings nightliFe Film comics timeout

19may 31 – June 6

hoRoscopEs June 7 – June 13

sudoku cRosswoRd answER kEy

a b

sudoku answER kEy

3 2 8 1 7 7 4 5 2 8 8 9 7 4 23 9 2 6 9 1 6 5 7 1 6 5 1 5 3 8 6 4 9 4 3

9 7 44 2 3 9 68 7 4 6 9 8 2 3 11 7 6 5 6 3 5 7 5 8 1 3 2 1 5 4 8 2 9

timeout

© waltER d. FEEnER 2013

a

b

4 3 2 8 1 9 5 7 67 1 9 4 6 5 3 2 85 8 6 2 7 3 9 1 46 5 7 1 3 8 4 9 23 4 8 7 9 2 1 6 52 9 1 6 5 4 7 8 38 2 3 9 4 1 6 5 71 7 5 3 8 6 2 4 99 6 4 5 2 7 8 3 1

6 3 5 9 8 2 1 7 44 2 1 7 5 3 9 8 68 9 7 4 1 6 3 2 59 5 8 2 6 4 7 3 11 4 3 8 9 7 6 5 27 6 2 1 3 5 4 9 82 7 6 5 4 9 8 1 33 8 9 6 2 1 5 4 75 1 4 3 7 8 2 6 9

acRoss 1. Influence unfairly

5. Cashless transaction

9. Move slightly

10. Articles of merchandise

12. Merchant

13. Have in mind

15. Eye amorously

16. Get off one’s chest

18. Match yourself against

19. Attorney’s charge

20. Piece of chicken

21. Hand over

22. Pull toward

without touching

24. Red ___ (Canadian

rock band)

25. Make a pig of yourself

27. Use a debit card

30. Passage taken from

a book

34. Source of plywood

35. Be wide open

36. Cenozoic, for one

37. Feeling lousy

38. Refuse to approve

39. Blackhearted

40. Put things in order

42. Join two pieces of

rope together

44. Curl one’s lip

45. Eliminate completely

46. Face courageously

47. Having reached

completion

down 1. Heavy dot

2. Not in use

3. Measure of one’s

time alive

4. Perform maintenance

5. Big Band music

6. Feel like having

7. Special skill

8. Annoyed

9. Father

11. Mocking in an

indirect way

12. Chesterfield

14. Grazing animal

17. Ask earnestly

20. Return a greeting

21. Refer to

23. Catch a calf

24. Be pitted against

26. With no protection

27. Turn around quickly

28. Beguiling behaviour

29. Away from the coast

31. Look over and change

32. Cost to the buyer

33. Story

35. Artistic category

38. Change direction

39. Verve

41. Brew “for two”

43. For

cRosswoRd Canadian Criss-Cross

aRiEs March 21–April 19

Whoa, buddy! This is going to be

a kingfish, hellfire week for

you, Aries. Full of discovery and new

successes. Enjoy!

tauRus April 20–May 20

Chances are you’ll end up in an ar-

gument or two this week, Taurus.

Keep your wits about you and don’t get

over-emotional.

gEmini May 21–June 20

Confusion, confusion everywhere.

Confusion, confusion … but you

shouldn’t care, Gemini. Things will soon

become clear.

cancER June 21–July 22

Are you in the middle of a transi-

tion, Cancer? If so, rest easy. What

is tumultuous now will smooth itself out

in a few days.

lEo July 23–August 22

There’s a storm coming, Leo. But

for the moment enjoy the calm

that surrounds you. You’ll need the seren-

ity in the weeks to come.

ViRgo August 23–september 22

It’s all about forward momen-

tum this week, Virgo. If you’ve

started a project recently, don’t half-ass

things: attack it with vigor.

liBRa september 23–october 23

Keep a clear mind in the coming

days, Libra. You’re going to

need it because things around you may

get muddled.

scoRpio october 24–november 22

An abundance of energy will

befall you this week, Scorpio. Be

sure not to squander this gift. Put it to

good use.

sagittaRius november 23–december 21

Batten down the hatches and

prepare for a wave of rejection

this week, Sagittarius. It won’t last long,

though, or sting too much.

capRicoRn december 22–January 19

Are you flexible, Capricorn? Not

touch-your-toes flexible, but flex-

ible in your thinking? With what’s on the

horizon, practice going with the flow.

aQuaRius January 20–february 19

If you’re feeling stuck, Aquarius,

there’s only one solution: dig

yourself out of the rut and keep moving.

Change can reap untold benefits.

piscEs february 20–March 20

Your confidence is going to be

running high, Pisces. And that’s

a good thing — unless you let it get the

better of you. Be careful.

Verbnews.com

Verb Issue R81 (June 7-13, 2013)

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Transcript of Verb Issue R81 (June 7-13, 2013)