BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition January 2019

FREE
JANUARY 2019
100 KEYBOARDS
A SYMPHONY OF SOUNDS
+ CANUCKS
DEFENCEMAN MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO TALKS HOUSE MUSIC
SNOWED IN COMEDY TOUR NADA GROCERY SNAIL MAIL WEEDEATER THE CRYSTAL METHOD DEERHUNTER IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

JOHN FLUEVOG SHOES AD:
TRIM SIZE: 10.25"W x 11.5" H, RIGHT HAND PAGE
LIFE’S TOO SHORT
TO WE AR
BORING SHOES
JOHN FLUEVOG SHOESGRANVILLE ST· · WATER ST· · FLUEVOGCOM

january‘19
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Cautious Clay - Page 30
January 2019 3

WITH MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO OF THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Written by Court Overgaauw
When Michael Del Zotto was drafted 20th overall
by the New York Rangers in 2008 he probably
wasn’t looking ahead to the years he’d spend as
a member of the Vancouver Canucks. Maybe
he should have been. Michael’s hometown of
Stouffville, ON has produced three NHL players
in the last three decades, Brad May, Raffi Torres
and Del Zotto. All of them were drafted in the
first round, all of them drafted by New York-based
teams and eventually, all of them found their way
to Vancouver. BeatRoute caught up with Del Zotto
by phone recently to discuss his thoughts on this
weird fact (he agreed, it’s weird) and to chat about a
number of other things, including his moonlighting
gig as a House DJ.
HOW MUCH OF A ROLE DOES MUSIC PLAY IN
YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE?
I have music on the majority of the day, especially in
the off season. I’m very much a homebody so when
I get back from a workout, I’m laying out by the
pool at my house, I’ll have music on all day; cooking,
you name it, music is playing.
WHEN DID YOU START MESSING AROUND
WITH MAKING YOUR OWN MIXES?
It was when I was in Philly, so I’d say five years ago
now. I was one of the only single guys there and I
was watching Netflix eight or nine hours a day. I got
to the point where I thought I had to do something
more productive with my time. I’ve always loved
music; I play the alto sax as well, so I ended up
buying a saxophone. I also had some buddies. I’m
pretty good friends with Tiesto and a couple other
really big DJs. So I got some equipment and, like
anything now, you can go on YouTube and teach
yourself, so I started that way. I was fortunate
enough to go in the studio with Tiesto and some
other guys in Toronto. Just learning and watching
from them was pretty incredible for me.
IT CAN’T HURT THAT YOU’VE GOT WORLD
CLASS DJS AS TEACHERS AND MENTORS?
Oh for sure, they’ve been such great guys. Tiesto I’ve
become close with, he’s a huge hockey fan. I go way
back with him, I’ve seen him in Vegas numerous
times. I’ve been up on stage with him in Vegas,
which was pretty cool. That was actually one of the
cooler moments of my life, that was awesome.
WHAT’S THE RESPONSE BEEN FROM THE GUYS
ON THE TEAM?
For the most part the guys like it. I more so just play
my stuff before games, just more pump up stuff
cause we have a lot of, ya know, western Canadian
farm guys on our team who enjoy their country
music, and I’m not a huge fan of that so I let them
enjoy their country music on off days and practice
days, but before games I take over with the pump
up stuff.
IF YOU COULD PICK THE CANUCKS THEME
SONG, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
If I could pick myself, let me pull it up, I have my
laptop in front of me. It’s a remix of “Seven Nation
Army.” every time I play it in the room the guys love
it.
IF YOU COULD PICK A THEME SONG FOR THE
CALGARY FLAMES WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Laughs. Give me a second, you’re stumping me with
this one. I gotta find it, it’s on the tip of my tongue.
Yeah, the song is called “I’m on Fire” by Vicetone. It’s
one of my favourite beats.
SO EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE A RIVAL YOU’D
PICK A GOOD SONG FOR THEM?
Well, I’d pick one that’s fitting for their name. I think
whether they’re a huge rival or not, I’m all about
growing the NHL and growing the game. You’d
want them to have a song that’s going to help grow
their brand, and grow the game there in Calgary.
That’s the best thing for the game, best thing for the
players, so I’ll let them have that one.
CLASSY ANSWER MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST ALBUM YOU BOUGHT
WITH YOUR OWN MONEY?
I didn’t buy it with my own money, but the first
album was Dr. Dre’s Chronic 2001. My cousin got
it for me and my brother for Christmas. Amazing
album, but I was 11 at the time, my brother was 14.
Probably not the best album for an 11-year-old to
be listening to. Still, to this day some of my favourite
songs, and my favourite hip-hop album to listen to.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO SEE LIVE
MUSIC IN VANCOUVER?
In Vancouver here? To be honest, I haven’t seen any
shows here in Vancouver.
OK, SO WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN
THE WORLD TO SEE A SHOW?
Madison Square Garden. Swedish House Mafia,
their final tour was awesome. Jay Z and Kanye
at MSG as well was incredible. Some big House
festivals in Toronto, like Veldt. There’s another one
called Digital Dreams. I’ve been to Ibiza before, the
music there is pretty incredible. If you’re into House
music you have to go. It’s just music all day every
day until crazy hours of the morning.
LOOKING AHEAD TOWARDS 2019, WHAT IS
YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTION?
Keep growing as a person. Nothing specific, just
growing and becoming a better person every single
day.
Off the ice, Canucks defenseman Michael Del Zotto likes to dabble in House Music behind the decks.
If you’re interested in hiring Michael Del Zotto as a DJ,
you can reach out to him on Twitter or Instagram @
MDZofficial. For the full interview with MDZ, visit us
online at www.beatroute.ca
4
January 2019

CITY BRIEFS!
BOWIE BALL MATTHEW GOOD ODD SOCIETY SPIRITS SALT. THROWDOWN 2019
BLACK ART JAZZ COLLECTIVE
January 25-26 at Frankie’s Jazz Club
This group of talented musicians
channels both Miles Davis and Art
Blakey while expressing the history of
jazz and the African American civil
rights movement. Contemporary,
soulful, and modern, the Black Art
Jazz Collective features Jeremy Pelt
on trumpet, Wayne Escoffery on sax,
James Burton III on the trombone,
Xavier Davis on piano, Corcoran Holt
on bass, and Johnathan Blake on
drums.
BOWIE BALL
January 12 at the Rickshaw Theatre
The fourth annual celebration of
David Bowie’s life and music includes
performances by 18 local bands
covering his music, art inspired by the
icon, face painting, and a costume
contest. The musical lineup includes
La Chinga, The Judys, and Fuckguns /
Daddy Issues (Bloody Betty). Proceeds
benefit the Canadian Cancer Society.
BOOBIES AND WIENERS SIX
January 25-26 at The Arts Factory
The annual dirty art show is back for
its sixth year in a row. Presented by
Hot Art Wet City and Arts Factory,
the exhibition features a great
assortment of local artists playing
with subject matter and styles that
touches on everything from crass to
cartoon.
FRAMES OF MIND
January 16 at the Cinematheque
Frames of Mind is an ongoing
monthly film series that supports
education surrounding mental health
and illness. This month’s feature is
the Vancouver premiere of Waiting
for Barcelona – a black and white
documentary about a migrant named
Mou, who has been living on the
streets of Barcelona for 10 years.
MATTHEW GOOD
February 1 at Centennial Theatre
Matthew Good is on his first solo
tour in Canada since 2007, this time
in support of his most recent and
ninth solo album, 2017’s Something
Like a Storm. All proceeds of Good’s
merchandise sold will benefit the
Canadian Mental Health Association.
ODD SOCIETY SPIRITS
1725 Powell Street
The East Vancouver distillery just
launched single malt and rye whiskies
made from 100 per cent local grains.
The highly anticipated Commodore
Canadian Single Malt Whisky and
the Prospector Canadian Rye Whisky
source grains grown and harvested in
BC, which distiller Gordon Glanz uses
to craft his whiskies onsite in small
batches using traditional methods.
SALT.
January 24–26 at Roundhouse
Community Arts and Recreation
Centre
This show, part of the PuSh Festival,
has writer and performer Selina
Thompson telling a powerful story
of courage, change, and healing.
Thompson traces her journey on the
Transatlantic Slave Triangle – which
transported millions of enslaved men,
women, and children from Africa to
Europe and America from the 16th
to the 19th century – through ritual,
ceremony, and spoken word.
SOUNDING THE INFINITE
January 19 at the Museum of
Anthropology
In support of Marking the Infinite
at the Museum of Anthropology,
Sounding the Infinite illuminates the
stories behind the works of art and
the artists that created them. Curator
Carol E. Mayer will lead a guided tour
of the exhibition and seven-piece
ensemble RumSalt will perform an
inspired set in response to the works.
THROWDOWN 2019
January 2-27 at The Improv Centre
Vancouver TheatreSports League rings
in the New Year with laughs at its
annual Throwdown – International
TheatreSports Festival. The festival
welcomes the best TheatreSports
teams from all around the US, who
will go head-to-head in round robin
matches. Don’t miss three-time
returning champs from Orlando. Will
they do it again this year?
VOGUE FEMME WORKSHOP WITH
PACKRAT LANVIN
January 19 at KW Studios
Dancer Packrat Lanvin – who has
worked with the likes of N.E.R.D.
and RuPaul’s Dragcon – is hosting
a Vogue Feminine (also known as
Vogue Femme) workshop that will
focus on understanding and learning
the art form with history, across the
floor, and freestyle. Vogue Feminine
originated in the Black and Latino gay
communities of New York City. The
workshop’s environment, as always
with its presenter Van Vogue Jam, is
totally inclusive.
January 2019 5

STREET/ROUTE
By Chris Dzaka | Photos by Timothy Nguyen
BeatRoute hits the pavement in
Vancouver and asks…
“ What’s your New Year’s
resolution?
Phil Addington, Bone Rattle Music
“To spend more time with my family.
Eric Vernon Ignatius Joseph
Bristow Esquire Jr.,
“Bone Rattle Music
My New Year’s resolution is to continue staying
out of jail. I’ve been out 10 years since I last got
arrested.
Tony Dallas, Mintage
“To probably cut back on the carbs. Do more
travelling. Work out a little bit more. Save up
some money. Nothing crazy.
Polina Eroujenets, LaLa’s on the Drive
“I want to get my driver’s license. Get my L. I’ve put it
off for a long time; it’s about time now.
Nils Von Hahn, Highlife Records
“My New Year’s resolution is to not engage in political discussions on
social media, because I got really sucked into the vortex of that in the
last year. And it feels important to me and I want to make the world a
better place, and I care about what my friends think, and sometimes
it feels important to do that, but I feel like there’s also been times
where it’s sort of put through a ripple of bad vibes into the air. And
I’m way more about trying to figure out the things that people have
in common than the things that they don’t have in common. And I
want to focus more on the things I have in common with my friends
as opposed to [what] I don’t have in common.
Michael Lee, The Drive Coffee Bar
“People who make New Year resolutions really have to stress
about keeping them. I just want to stay alive. That’s my
resolution: just stay alive. Waking up breathing every day is a
real bonus. And to be kind. That’s it. That’s all I care about.
Josie Boyce, Black Dog Video
“My New Year’s resolution is pretty much the same every
year, and my New Year’s resolution is to have a little more
resolve in everything I do. A little more intention, a little
more resolve.
Mark Richardson, Audiopile
“I haven’t really thought about it. I need to do a bit
more to care for my body in general. Exercise, which is
something I don’t really do outside of cycling to and
from work. Pretty typical. Self care, that’s probably the
word for it.
6
January 2019

UPCOMING SHOWS
THE CRYSTAL METHOD JANUARY 12
KONGOS
WITH FITNESS
JANUARY 13
SNAIL MAIL
WITH CHOIR BOY
JANUARY 27
MAD CADDIES
WITH THE BRASS ACTION
JANUARY 31
HIPPO CAMPUS
WITH NOW, NOW
FEBRUARY 8
CHALI 2NA & THE HOUSE OF VIBE
WITH THE GAFF
FEBRUARY 14
GUSTER
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
FEBRUARY 15
RIA MAE
DEAN LEWIS
COLD CAVE
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
WITH ADULT. & SEXTILE
FEBRUARY 18 FEBRUARY 19
FEBRUARY 20
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT IMPERIALVANCOUVER.COM

Lara Favaretto Tutti giu per terra, (2004) 1 ton of confetti joker lux, talcum powder, 4 hermetic stage ventilators | dimensions variable
Rennie Museum | 51 East Pender St | Vancouver

FEMME SERIES
DISMANTLING THE PATRIARCHY, ONE PLAY AT A TIME
LEAH SIEGEL
CITY
I once had an acting instructor who,
whenever he got frustrated with the
work of my male classmates, would
go off on them about the privileges of
their gender.
“Women have to work 10 times
harder while competing for less work,”
DAKH DAUGHTERS
With the Femme Series, The Cultch aims to honour women in the theatre.
he’d say. “In a typical play, there will
probably be two female roles – and
one of them will be a maid.”
Things have been changing, though.
From Daisy Ridley’s Rey in Star Wars
to the all-female crew of Annihilation,
it’s not uncommon to see a female
action star grace the big screen. The
sexual harassment scandals which
rocked cultural institutions from
Hollywood to Broadway over the past
year have further sparked important
conversations on power and gender in
the entertainment industry.
Enter stage left, the Femme Series at
The Cultch: a month dedicated to the
work of female and female-identifying
artists. Executive Director Heather
Redfern launched the series a couple
years back.
“It’s allowed me to be very forthright
about including work that has some
pretty good, hard-hitting feminist
content,” she says. “I want people to
come away feeling more empathetic,
powerful and strong — like they’re
part of something, like they’re not
alone.”
DAKH DAUGHTERS
January 15 to 19
The series starts with a musical group
from Ukraine with international
influences. “They sing in several
different languages, but they’re really
rooted in very traditional Ukrainian
music, as well,” Redfern says. “It’s like
the accordion meets Pussy Riot. It’s
very political.”
POWER BALLAD
January 22 to 26
Later in January comes a cross between
a karaoke session and what Redfern
describes as “basically a feminist rant.”
Don’t let that intimidate you, though.
“I saw Power Ballad in Edinburgh in
the summer of 2017, and at first I
thought, ‘I’m not going to like this,’”
Redfern says. “But by the end I was in
tears; I was singing along. It’s a perfect
example of why the Femme Series is
important, because it’s short, it’s not
really a full-length piece, but my god is
it ever powerful, and strong, and sexy.”
Before attending, study up on your
Blondie, Redfern advises.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
February 5 to 16
The series officially concludes with
a comedy by Shakespeare — with
a twist. Much Ado is pleasant little
romp in the countryside in which most
characters have both the maturity and
the hormone levels of your average
middle schooler. No tragedy à la
Othello or Romeo and Juliet here —
but a classic nonetheless. In a reversal
of what would have been the norm in
Shakespeare’s time, female actors will
be playing all the roles in this take by
Classic Chic (the first local company to
be included in the Femme Series).
OTHER EVENTS
During the span of the series, The
Cultch will host a number of other
related events. Highlights include
feminist karaoke with Julia Croft of
Power Ballad on January 25, and a
performance by Hawaiian singer and
hula dancer Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole
on January 27. Details can be found at
thecultch.com
The Femme Series runs from January 15
to February 16 at the Cultch.
The PuSh International
Performing Arts Festival
is proud to present
a suite of Japanese
experimental musicians.
RARE PERFORMANCE!
MARGINAL
CONSORT
For three hours, four musicians come
together with enough instruments
for an orchestra. The improvise
ambient, heavily manipulated
music, neither fully in harmony nor
fully independent of each other.
FIRST TIME IN CANADA!
CANADIAN PREMIERE
100
KEYBOARDS
ASUNA
Sound artist ASUNA takes
battery-powered, analogue
keyboards and uses them to create
waves of overlapping notes: the
Moiré effect of superimposed
patterns, here used musically.
CANADIAN PREMIERE
RINGO
TETSUYA UMEDA
The wildly inventive Tetsuya Umeda
uses tin cans, dry ice, bowls, hot
plates, and more to create an
experience so beguiling and unique
as to redefine those very objects.
THEATRE
DANCE
MULTIMEDIA
MUSIC
FILM
January 2019 9

YORK THEATRE
PRODUCTION
SUPPORT:
Jan 15–
Jan 19, 2019
THEATRE
PLACES, PLEASE
YOUR MONTHLY THEATRE GUIDE
LEAH SIEGEL
Happy 2019, Vancouver! How are those New Year’s
hangovers coming along?
We here at BeatRoute aren’t doctors (just ask our
parents!), but we know how to use a search engine,
and apparently some of the best cures for a hangover
include a full night’s sleep, a good breakfast and a
theatre matinee. Yes, that third one’s made up. Again,
we’re not doctors. But think about it: dark theatre,
no pressure of social interaction, cultural enrichment
– and doesn’t “I caught a matinee” sound better
than “I ate six eggs in one sitting and wore sunglasses
inside?” All light-hearted joking of alcohol abuse
aside, there’s some really neat stuff going on this
month, and you should see it.
THE FULL LIGHT OF DAY
January 7-12 at the Vancouver Playhouse
Mary has lived a full life. She’s tried to be a decent
person. She’s voted liberal. She has a loving family.
They’ve been well-off, having worked in finance
and real estate. Then, life deals her two blows: the
revelation of her husband’s deep-seeded corruption,
and the disappearance of one of her children. The
show brings to the fore the complicated nature
of a family’s love, while scrutinizing upper-middle
class privilege. Is it possible to be privileged, yet not
complicit in systemic injustice?
The Electric Company Theatre has put out some
really cool stuff, and The Full Light of Day seems like
it’ll be no exception. To help bring the story to life,
they’re projecting onto the stage original short films,
as well as feeds from 14 different live video cameras.
Film, finance and real estate: this just screams
Vancouver.
MRS. KRISHNAN’S PARTY
January 15-23 at the Culture Lab
All the way from New Zealand comes an unlikely duo
in this piece of participatory theatre: Mrs. Krishnan
(Kalyani Nagarajan), a 58-year-old Indian matriarch
who runs a corner store, and her boarder, James
(Justin Rogers). The former is anticipating her son’s
return home; the latter is an “overzealous wannabe
DJ” - exactly the type of person who’d jump at any
chance to throw a party. James decides to do just
that for the Hindu harvest festival Onam, and when
a bunch of strangers (us, the audience) show up,
Mrs. K goes along with it. Like all good parties, there’s
music (DJing, of course, by James), dancing, and food.
“Expect to be social,” advises Rogers.
Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis, the show’s writers
and directors, said that there’s more to this party
than a simple celebration: there’s an underlying
chaos as well. “That moment of not knowing, of
being lost and confused, excited and a little scared is
really what tonight is about,” they write. “Something
has to die in order for something to be renewed. It’s a
tough lesson, but a constant.”
PALMYRA
January 22-24 at Performance Works as part of
the PuSh Festival
What starts as two men and a plate quickly escalates
to brutality and a stage of smashed crockery. (This
might be a piece to avoid if you’re not into inhaling
fine ceramic particulates.) In their piece named after
the ravaged Syrian city, Bertrand Lesca and Nasi
Voutsas explore the violence and cruelty of warfare
through – of all things – clowning.
SUDDENLY SLAUGHTER
January 25-26 at Russian Hall as part of the PuSh
Festival
In a poor part of Tehran, a new tenant moves into
communal housing – and seems to be in possession
of a good deal of money. This wealth sparks jealousy
and tension within the community, and we can
only assume that happiness and good things follow
as a result. Or not. Inspired by the work of Iranian
playwright Abbas Nalbandian.
Dakh
Daughters
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THECULTCH.COM
Photo by Angel Lynne
Mo money, mo problems, Suddenly Slaughter is inspired by the work of playwright Abbas Nalbandian.
10
January 2019

ASUNA proves that not everything is at is appears – or as it sounds.
100 KEYBOARDS
100 KEYBOARDS
100 KEYBOARDS
Expecting the Unexpected
By Mathew Wilkins
Imagine a performance where no spoilers need
alerting. Where the beginning, middle, and end
are fully known to everyone there – and no one
minds at all. 100 Keyboards by Japanese sound
artist ASUNA is just that: a piece that explores
the sonic interaction between a predetermined
amount of toy keyboards playing in unison in
an enclosed space. What results, however, is
something that is incomparable, transient, and
(nearly) indescribable.
“In this site-specific listening experience, I
would like you to listen to the subtle variations
of sound interference and resonance,” ASUNA
describes.
These ‘subtle interferences’ are created using
a formula that’s actually quite simple. The
keyboards – usually more than 100 of them – are
arranged in concentric circles, with the artist
moving from the inside to the edge. A single note
is played on each before moving onto the next,
but a small stick is lodged into the key before
moving on, to ensure that each note continues
playing for the duration of the performance.
What results is an eerie, overlapping cacophony
of sound that shifts and transforms based on
location, space, and movement.
“Complex interference and resonance in the
space can reveal different sound[s]... I hope
listeners will listen carefully to the phenomenon
of those sounds and will discover an experience
of new sounds in each,” ASUNA adds.
The inspiration for this and other projects
arose from a number of important influences in
ASUNA’s life, including several artists inside and
outside Japan like Wrk, Murray Schafer, and The
Nihilist Spasm Band. Before working in sound
installation, ASUNA played computer-based
music in the late ‘90s and had a brief stint in a
lo-fi experimental punk outfit – both of which,
according to him, granted the artist a “distinct
point of view on the conceptual and physical
effects of the phenomenon of sound.”
Yet ASUNA’s interest in sonic sensation
seems to have truly began in his parents’ thread
spinning factory, where he enjoyed listening to
the machines and their motors in his childhood.
“I am aiming to produce works that update
the context of art and music,” ASUNA says of
his current and upcoming body of work, which
seems to frequently utilize mundane musical
phrases or sound-making objects.
Works like 100 Toys, for instance, employs the
same formula as 100 Keyboards, yet with – you
guessed it – children’s toys. ASUNA’s latest record
Tide Ripples takes predictable fingerstyle guitar
that slowly melts into a sea of sonic chaos. These
and many other pieces seem predicated on that
idea of “updating context.” Whether it’s toys,
keyboards, or fingerstyle guitars, ASUNA takes
objects that we think we understand and turns
them on their head. In not so many words: you
may think you know what you’re in for when you
attend a 100 Keyboards performance, but in all
likelihood, you’re wrong. In this case, hearing is
believing.
100 Keyboards takes place on January 19 at the
Russian Hall as part of the PuSh Festival.
January 2019 11

PANCHO
VILLA
Photo by Gema Galiana
Bringing a Mexican legend to life
By Luke Bailey
How do you tell the story of a man who some
consider to be a legendary hero, while others
revile as a murderous bandit? Pancho Villa From
a Safe Distance is an experimental chamber opera
led by composer Graham Reynolds and librettist
Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol that tries to make sense
of the life and legacy of the famous Mexican
revolutionary general.
“Even in his lifetime, the line between truth
and fiction for Pancho Villa was very blurry,” says
Reynolds. “People romanticize him now, and there
are a lot of commendable things that he did. But
it was also a confusing, complicated war. He killed
an awful lot of people and many of them were
innocents. So here we are… spectating from a safe
distance.”
The show blends multiple musical genres,
formats, and languages to tell the story of Pancho
Villa’s influence on the Mexico-United States
border. Reynolds leads the show on keyboards, and
is accompanied by another six musicians and two
singers, as well as pre-recorded and live videos.
These disparate pieces all come together in a
way that feels especially relevant given the current
tensions at the border.
“It’s super topical right now,” says Reynolds.
“But the border has always been a source of both
controversy and cultural enrichment. It’s a place
where ideas and cultures exchange and meet. And
in some ways, you also feel the randomness of
these areas. Why this place? Why this river? Why
does a kid on the north side get a great education
and health care while a kid on the south side does
not?”
And because the United States government has
started to tighten control around their Canadian
borders as well, Reynolds thinks that Vancouver
audiences will be able to appreciate the story on a
whole different level.
“We’ve taken for granted the ease with which
we can travel between Canada, Mexico and the
United States,” says Reynolds. “And we’ve taken
for granted how friendly the countries are. But
[Donald] Trump has thrown all of that away and
turned it into this complex thing. Suddenly, these
random lines between the countries have a lot
more weight and meaning than they ever did
before.”
Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance takes place on
January 31 at the Vogue Theatre as part of the PuSh
Festival.
The show begins with two musicians and eight
dancers on stage. Indonesian metalcore duo
Senyawa incorporates traditional motifs into
an experimental brand of operatic metal in
the hour-long ritual. The dancers oscillate with
more abandon as the instrumentation surges in
magnitude. The climax of the show is marked
by primeval hysteria.
The musical component comprises of Rully
Shabara and Wukir Suryadi, in conjunction
with choreographers Lucy Guerin and Gideon
Obarzanek alongside Dancenorth Australia.
A sonic/kinetic powerhouse, Attractor was a
beast to tame.
“Trying to sync the energy of the music with
the dancers was the most challenging part,
because while they speak with movements,
we speak with music. The communication is
entirely dependent on the sync of energy,” says
Shabara.
Attractor was conceived on a trip that
Obarzanek took to Indonesia in 2014, where
he witnessed a number of traditional rituals.
This transforming experience coincided with
the performer’s own past – ritual dances on a
kibbutz in Israel.
“After two nights of prayers and offerings
to the dead, dancers entered a state of trance
through a series of vigorous performances,”
says Obarzanek. “Now possessed, they were
considered vessels for immortal spirits who
had come to visit the living. To prove this
extraordinary transition from human to
non-human, they performed shocking acts of
pain and strength before being exorcised by
Shamans.”
It was with the immense potency of its
inspirations and unlikely collaborations that
Attractor came to fruition. The show is driven
by an ancient, erratic force that is harvested on
stage and released into the audience. Attractor
is a convergence of cultures and peoples; a gift
of life.
“It is a coming together of energy, a force, a
moment in time – a ritual for non-believers,”
adds Kyle Page, artistic director of Dancenorth
Australia.
Attractor runs from January 18-29 at the
Vancouver Playhouse as part of the PuSh
Festival.
By Maryam Azizli
ATTRACTOR
A Transcendental Purge Through
Organized Chaos
Photo by Gregory Lorenzutti
12
January 2019

PRINCE
HAMLET
Adding a New Poetry to Shakespearean
Classic with Sign Language
By Leah Siegel
If you were to ask 1000 questions about
anything, what would it be? In her art installation
titled Race Cards, multi-disciplinary artist
Selina Thompson asks 1000 questions about
race and racism. What started as performance
art in which Thompson invited strangers to
watch her as she sat in a room writing question
after question has now become a travelling
exhibit showcasing a subject everyone should
be questioning every chance they get. To dive
deep into herself and pull these questions from
her experience wasn’t easy and was, at times,
detrimental to Thompson’s mental and physical
wellbeing. The installation began as a 12-hour
performance, writing 800 questions as people
entered the room one at a time to watch her
write and watch the installation grow.
“[The experience] made me very ill, so I said I
never wanted to do that again,” says Thompson
of the beginnings of her provocative work. “So
we turned it into an installation. I rewrite it
every nine months or so – update questions
that are out of date, or no longer relevant,
put things in that are now essential. We make
edits for different national contexts and when
working with a different language, I translate in
collaboration with a local artist of colour, so a
lot changes there too. But it is one long stream
of consciousness at its heart. It was very, very
hard, emotionally. Part of why the work needs
a boundary around it is to protect me from the
residue of that experience.”
Thompson’s inspirations for Race Cards
lies within the name of the installation itself,
something that’s been under the noses of
those who can’t relate to the experience of the
transgressions – macro and micro – that people
of colour face on a daily basis.
“I have to be upfront and confess immediately
that I am not a particularly subtle person,”
Thompson adds. “I don’t have that kind of
smarts, so the inspiration is literally the term
‘playing the race card.’ I was sick of being told
I was doing it, sick of hearing it used to silence
people, irritated by the fact that this was a
terminology that had been used to disempower
and negate the experiences of people since I was
small, and seemed to be the case.
Initially, I wanted to turn it on its head, find a
way of playing a race card that was empowering.
I was also super interested in internet –
particularly Twitter – discourse around race. The
speed of it, the mix of autobiography and theory
in a very specific way, the competition, the oneupmanship.
I was also sick of being asked about
race by people who were decades older than me.
That’s enough. I’m going to ask the questions
now.
The person asking the questions is the person
that holds the power, because they’re setting
the discourse – and that’s part of why whiteness
situates race as a problem that people of colour
need to solve, to maintain that power dynamic. I
wanted to try to outsmart it.”
By turning the tables on the conversation and
by having those who hold power over the source
of racism through virtue of whiteness and the
privilege that is inherent within it, Thompson
aims to make people think, but what they take
away from it is entirely up to them.
“How people feel as they read them is not
my business, nor my concern,” she says. “I
know that sounds really harsh and standoffish,
but it’s not a theatre work, where I’m kind of
locking an audience into what is essentially a
trigger chamber to stimulate specific feelings.
An installation is much more open ended. You
can walk away when it’s too much. I have less
pressure to entertain. There is a clearer boundary
and I like that boundary and the work it does,
so it can stay in place. Feel what you want, take
away what you want – the work of coming to
terms with race is lifelong, and no one can do it
for you.”
Race Cards runs from January 23-February 2 at
the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation
Center as part of the PuSh Festival.
A little over 10 years ago, Ravi Jain was trying
to establish a theatre company in Toronto.
He had just returned from a stint abroad
and was still reacquainting himself with
Canadian audiences. For his first production,
he mounted a perennial favorite: William
Shakespeare’s Hamlet. A decade later, he’s
coming back to the Danish prince – but not
because he’s in need of a crowd-pleaser.
“Part of revisiting an old play like Hamlet
is to show that there is more to be found in
this play than we know,” Jain says. “It’s a great
opportunity to challenge the status quo, and
to show us that another world is possible
when you change who gets to tell the story.”
In Why Not Theatre’s production of Prince
Hamlet, there are a number of changes made,
but perhaps the most significant is who now
relays the story to the audience: Horatio –
Hamlet’s best friend and (spoiler alert!) the
play’s sole survivor – played by deaf actress
Dawn Jani Birley. For this shift in perspective,
Birley and Jain had to translate from scratch
Shakespeare’s poetic English into American
Sign Language (ASL).
“There are three styles of ASL that are
happening throughout the show,” Jain
explains, including a more expressive, imagebased
type of ASL that Birley developed for
the production. “The response to that has
been amazing, because deaf audiences don’t
normally get to experience that same level
of poetry. An interpreter is often giving a
neutral expression of what is happening, so
it’s as if you’re reading the play for yourself.
You just read it. There’s no emotion, there’s
no context. What Dawn does so incredibly
is embody and perform the emotion to
communicate the expression of the text.
There’s a lot of nuance to what she does that
just brings it to life.”
A signing Horatio isn’t just an artistic
choice for Jain: it’s also political. “Dawn speaks
a lot about deaf people being forgotten, being
invisible, and not being given importance in
society. In our version, the deaf person has
the most important role: the storyteller,” he
says. “The story is literally in her hands.”
Prince Hamlet runs from January 23-27 at the
Frederic Wood Theatre as part of the PuSh
Festival.
RACE
CARDS
Flipping the Deck on the
Conversation around Racism
by Joey Lopez
Photo by Manuel Vason
January 2019 13

COMEDY
SNOWED IN COMEDY TOUR
IT’S NOT ALL DOWNHILL FOR THIS SNOWBOARD-INSPIRED COMEDY TOUR
GRAEME WIGGINS
Paul Myrehaug is hitting the slopes and going for big laughs at the Snowed In Comedy Tour.
SMASH COMEDY FESTIVAL
SMASH SOME FEELS, SMASH SOME BARRIERS, SMASH SOME LAUGHS
RANDEE NEUMEYER
For comedian Paul Myrehaug, the Snowed In
Comedy Tour is a homecoming of sorts. Originally
from Camrose, Alberta and having spent some
time in Vancouver, coming back for a few weeks
from his current home base in France is like a
breath of fresh air after working the European
scene for awhile.
“It’s like training with weights on your legs
when I come back to Canada,” he explains. “Right
now I’m in Vancouver running the new Snowed In
set – we write a new 25 minutes every year – and
the comfort of a Canadian audience is like a warm
hug from the Virgin Mary, it’s so good. I appreciate
the crowds so much now.”
Canadian audiences start with an easier frame
of reference from the get go: “I’m wearing a plaid
shirt; I have a bit of a farm accent. They kind of
get your whole package, knowing that you’re from
Alberta. They know what to expect, they know
your character.” In his words, European crowds are
“a little more boisterous, a little more heckly.”
The tour started years ago as an excuse for Dan
Quinn to do some more snowboarding with his
comedian buddies, so he scheduled a comedy
tour around the various ski hills he wanted to
try and figured he could pay for it all by doing
comedy shows at night.
“It’s a really successful comedy tour, especially
in the landscape of Canada,” says Myrehaug.
“Canadians aren’t used to going to see stand-up
comedy in theatres. It’s not in our culture yet –
we’re more [used to] comedy clubs – so it’s really
rare for a comedy tour like this to catch fire.”
The snowboarding aspect of the tour has
remained all these years as well, which can make
finding acts a little difficult: “You need to play
theatres, be a decent snowboarder, and not mind
being in a truck for half of your life. It’s actually
difficult to find acts that fit this tour because
the sporting side is so big as well.” Despite that,
they always manage to find interesting and funny
acts to join them; this year, the tour includes Arj
Barker and Debra DiGiovanni on different legs. If
you’re lucky, you can catch them on the slopes the
day of, and use the show in the evening as a little
après-ski.
Catch the Snowed In Comedy Tour at various
locations around BC in January, and in Vancouver
at the Rio Theatre on February 9.
If you’ve been paying attention to the Vancouver
comedy scene, then you’ve heard of Nasty Women.
The all-female sketch and improv group performs
every month at The Biltmore Cabaret, and will be
performing at Just for Laughs NorthWest in February
as part of Best of the West. Now they’ve announced
Smash Comedy Festival (Yes, “smash” as in “smash
the patriarchy!”), a festival exclusively for female
identifying performers. The festival is three days of
improv, sketch, stand-up and workshops, showcasing
the best performers in the city.
The comedy scene is male dominated and women
still need to carve out room for themselves, and
that is exactly what they are doing. “I’ve heard this
multiple times, but people are like, ‘We need stuff like
this, we need more women running shows. We need
more female identified people doing their thing and
spreading their voices.’ That’s always a cool reaction
to get, and I’m hoping this weekend is going to bring
those people out more,” says Racquel Belmonte, one
of the three members of Nasty Women taking on
organizing the festival, along with Denea Campbell
and Stacey McLachlan.
The festival became a concrete idea when the Nasty
Women members were trying to figure out what to
do with the money from their shows and wanted to
help out future performers. “I think the idea just came
about – let’s put on a festival and put those proceeds
towards sending a kid or maybe even more, depending
on how the weekend goes, to improv camp,” says
Campbell.
The festival includes Vancouver comedy staples like
The Lady Show and Brunch Comedy but also opens
up space for beginners and people who have never
14
performed before. “The first show is a jam show, so
literally anybody who’s ever wanted to try improv that
identifies as WTF (women, trans, femme) can come
do improv for free,” says Belmonte. Along with The
Jam Show, they are running a series of workshops that
anyone (including men) can attend, which will teach
performers techniques like how to cultivate joy while
performing and how to challenge gender concepts
when presented with them on stage.
Creating the lineup was all about representation
of what the comedy scene has to offer audiences. “A
lot of the shows are a sampler pack of some of our
favourite sketch and improv shows,” says Campbell.
“The goal was to get as many performers on the stage
as possible.” The festival will also feature a stacked
stand-up show hosted by Emma Cooper of Rape is
Real and Everywhere, and the festival will close out
with the crowd favourite, Weird Gal Karaoke.
“So far we’re getting really positive reactions which
is awesome, and I think it’s just hitting me now that
this is really exciting and other people are excited
about it too. I’m just excited for people to be a part of
it, for people to see it,” says Campbell.
“I think women are the hardest working people in
the comedy scene right now,” says Belmonte. “To be
able to celebrate these hard working people, it’s really
special. That’s what I’m excited about. We’re going to
celebrate all the fucking hard work we’ve been putting
in for years with the people we want to celebrate
with.”
The festival kicks off at The Biltmore Cabaret on January
24 and then continues January 25 and 26 at Little
Mountain Gallery.
Photo by Nolan Sage
The future is female and the Nasty Women comedy troupe are one smash above the rest.
January 2019

SUSTAINABLE HUTS
INNOVATIVE SHELTERS ENHANCE BACKCOUNTRY EXPERIENCE
JESSIE FOSTER
Backcountry exploration on Vancouver Island just reached a new peak with the unveiling of the Peak 5040 Hut.
Tucked away deep in the depths of the
snowy forest between Tofino and Port
Alberni is an alpine hut unparalleled
anywhere on Vancouver Island. Nothing
but sweet serenity surrounds this brand
new state of the art backcountry cabin
called the 5040 Peak Hut. This is the first
innovative and sustainable structure in
the area that is operated by solar panels
along with a wood pellet burning stove.
This backed by all the other amenities
an adventurer should need, makes for
a much easier trip out into the woods
in the wintertime. With a major lack of
options for backcountry skiers, boarders,
sledders, snowshoers and others looking
for some off-the-map adventure, many
have opted to stay where there’s already
a steady base of backcountry cabins
established on the mainland. The hut
committee is elated to now have a
feasible alternative to taking a ferry to the
mainland for backcountry riding.
Chris Jensen pitched this idea four years
ago to the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC),
which led to a team of people going out
to discover the perfect peak to place the
new cabin. “The Island has really steep
terrain in the mountains so we wanted an
area where the approach didn’t cross any
avalanche terrain, and the site itself wasn’t
going to get blasted away,” said Jensen.
Without huts such as these realized,
outdoors-people would have to carry
around packs filled with pans, pots, toilet
paper and other unnecessary belongings
that weigh down their shoulders, bags
and ultimately eating away energy which
could be used instead for exploring.
“First Nations, lots of them were on
board right away because they thought
it would provide a good safe haven to
be able to have youth group trips and
reconnect them with the alpine areas,”
says Jensen. There was some concern at
first that people would be cutting down
the trees surrounding the dorm, but with
the eco friendly stove, this will not be a
dilemma for the area.
This hut is innovative in many ways,
including the wood pellet stove, the
engineering, and the new solid separating
outhouse according to Jensen. Nearly 400
people came from around the province,
as well as internationally, to lend a hand
wherever they could to help construct
the building. There was “quite a huge
army” that went out for the past couple
years, mainly on weekends, to help out
with the new building. Their efforts have
been recompensed with a beautiful and
sustainable hut for many generations to
come.
“The 5040 Hut, in some inexplicable
way has twisted itself around my heart
and strives to hold me in that place on
that wonderful, pretty little mountain. I
look forward to the next season and hope
for tons of snow,” says Chris Ruttan, the
Peak 5040 Hut construction leader.
With the hut being completed in
late October, it has now begun taking
reservations and will be accepting its first
guests mid-January. Lawrence White is
the ACC national executive director and
spoke in front of the 60 eager adventurers
who showed up to the grand opening
event.
“It was executed with purpose and
vision, with thoughtfulness and speed,
with inclusiveness and transparency. The
hut at Peak 5040 will be celebrated for
decades to come by people of the Island,
and by those of us longing for the Island.
It is your gift to the mountain community
and for that I hope you are eternally
proud,” says White.
MOVING MOUNTAINS
MARK TREMBLAY
IN CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF WHISTLER’S SNOWBOARD ICONS
JESSIE FOSTER
Whistler/Blackcomb’s own
mountain man Mark Tremblay give
us the rundown on snowboarding.
This means everything from filming,
injuries, travelling, sledding, music
and general adventure. When
it comes to sending it in the
backcountry, Tremblay’s got us
covered with his free-formed style
that still means total business. His
riding could be compared to the
mullet of the sport. In the front
he’s got it figured out through
accomplishments such as riding
with the Wildcats crew in 2016,
pushing his limits around BC and
working with Absinthe films more
recently this year. However, on
the backside he’s got this laidback
demeanour of having a great time
on the mountain and letting his hair
down for some good old-fashioned
French-Canadian forceless fun.
“BC is quite the place to be
snowboarding. It’s unpredictable;
sometimes it’s good and sometimes
it’s bad, but when it’s good it can be
really good,” says Tremblay. Growing
up, he was lucky to have a family
that were avidly dedicated to skiing,
and even had a chalet in Mont Valin
in Québec. It was there that he grew
up on a snowboard. He dusted off
his chops for the first time when he
was just three years old, and then
by the time he was seven he finally
owned his very first board. He
remembers watching snowboarders
hitting the park there from the
chairlift and deciding that was what
he wanted to do with his life. He’s
since been true to that word.
“Me, I had to work and always
really love to snowboard. I just
kept working to snowboard sort of
my whole life, and I think you can
tell when you see me ride. I think
it’s more raw, less structured,” says
Tremblay.
He has been around the area
for eight years after moving away
from Québec to pursue riding in
the Rocky Mountains. Whistler
and Blackcomb’s painstakingly
massive surrounding areas provide
limitless possibilities for exploration,
whether through their terrain parks,
hiking or just goofing around with
mates. “Feel like I’m just starting to
poke into some zones here, it’s so
big. It’s huge, you probably need 10
years to explore, if you did it every
day.”
Tremblay overshot the landing
at a prestigious SuperPark event
in Mammoth two years ago. The
Mark Tremblay has been dedicated to making snowboarding his life.
January 2019 15

CITY
JENIKA GORDON
UPPING THE ANTE FOR TOTAL WELLNESS
KIMBERLY BUDZIAK
Crossing over from being trained to being coached is a little disarming.
For Jenika Noelle Gordon of JNG Coaching, your stress levels, sleep
patterns, eating habits, and fitness status – every small idiosyncratic
detail of your day – allow her to make two diagnoses: the first, an
accurate and disarming summation of where you’re at, and the second, a
hope-laden but plausible moving target of where you could be.
“You have no consistency in your life.” That’s her diagnosis for me, and
she is markedly correct. Then: “Everything you’re going through is normal
and you are amazing. You have to do what makes you feel your best so
you can feel better everywhere else. We can get you there this year.”
Gordon’s personal blend of sharp truth and warm understanding is
what makes her so popular with clients, many of whom have been seeing
the payoff of her progressive training, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching for
over a decade. It all stems from a deep desire to help people, as evident
in her political science background with a focus in peace and conflict
issues, lifelong love of sport coupled with personal training certificate,
and a magnetic pull to find inspiration in people and disciplines that
seem polarizing to who she is and what she does.
That insatiable curiosity drew her to the second-ever CrossFit gym in
Seattle years back. “It was the weirdest thing I’d ever done,” she recalls. “It
was so different. At first, I was like ‘Oh my god, I might get sick,’ but I was
excited at the same time.” She went on to learn the trade from founder
Greg Glassman and was able to open a small gym in Yaletown to around
one hundred clients her first year.
“I love connecting with people through health and wellness,” she says.
“It leads to bigger conversations and possibilities.” Possibilities rooted in
her programming: a variety of plans tailored to flow with each client’s
individual life, come stress, vacation, injury, whatever. “There is absolutely
no judgement when you start. I’m not thinking anything other than ‘I’m
right here, right now,’ so everyone can be who they need to be in that
space.”
Gordon’s in-the-moment outlook is contagious. “There will come a
point where you say, ‘No, this is my time’ and ‘Don’t put anyone else in
that time,’” she tells me. So far, her prediction is exact.
NADA GROCERY
LAYING WASTE TO WASTAGE
AUSTIN TAYLOR
To start coaching and contact Jenika Gordon, visit JNGcoaching.com.
The food industry is tied closely with global pollution, and Nada aims to reduce that by eliminating packaging altogether.
Jenika Gordon makes health and wellness addictive.
16
Waste is a problem. Around the world, beaches are dotted with
beer cans and landfills grow to the size of small towns; there is
even an entire island of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean. It
seems to be everywhere. There is, however, a place where waste
is not. On the corner of East Broadway and Fraser stands Nada,
Canada’s very first package-free grocery store.
Whether it’s vegan butter, fresh produce, cricket-protein bars,
or four different kinds of miso paste, at Nada you can check off
the boxes on even the most eclectic grocery lists. The store uses
a unique system that accounts for the weight of its customers’
containers by way of encoded stickers, solving the problem
of time and inconvenience that most waste-free businesses
face. For those that forgot their mason jars at home, there is a
plethora of reusable containers for purchase and a selection of
clean, free containers that have been donated to the cause. Nada
appears to have parried all the qualms of the skeptical before
they make them. The thoughtfulness of the business plan is the
work of inspired leadership.
For founder and CEO Brianne Miller, Nada is much more
than just a business. Working in the field of marine biology for
almost a decade (a job that brought her all around the world),
the idea for a waste-free grocery store came to her after seeing
the impact of careless waste first hand. “It became very apparent
very quickly just how widespread the plastic pollution problem
is,” says Miller. “I was making connections between these
environmental problems and our food systems.”
Teaming up with co-founder Alison Carr, they began their
initiative as a pop-up shop based out of Patagonia’s Kitsilano
store in 2013. After years of fundraising and organizing, Nada
finally came to fruition, a fully waste-free grocery store and cafe
that sources their wares from local businesses and food artisans.
Though Nada’s tag line is “Just Food,” they are quickly proving
that it’s much more than just food. They’re a chance break the
mold and inspire change in a world that needs it.
Nada Grocery is located at 675 E Broadway.
January 2019

CITY
SOAP
HUNNYBEE’S NIGHTTIME GIG IS NO MUSS, NO FUSS
MAGGIE MCPHEE
The duo behind The Birds and the Beets have partnered
with former Bao Bei bartender Tyson Davies to open a
space that by day is Hunnybee Bruncheonette and by
evening becomes cocktail bar Soap. Sharing the same
venue on the corner of Union and Gore, each business
operates on its own but shares in financial and creative
decision-making. BeatRoute caught up with Davies about
Soap’s first month and future plans.
The bubbly Londoner spoke with gratitude about
the project. “We’re growing week by week and getting
actual regulars in the area, which is so humbling – it’s
nice that people like it,” Davis says. “The area has been so
welcoming.”
Davies saw a need for a no-frills neighbourhood bar
in Strathcona. “We don’t want it to be a flamboyant
restaurant in any way,” he says, noting the existing
presence of several high-end eateries in the area.
He serves well-priced beer, wine, and all the classics,
as well as a small but thoughtful cocktail menu. “My
menu kind of hits a lot of fields,” he explains. “I think it’s
important for a cocktail to be made for the person who
drinks it… the cocktail’s not made for me.” Indeed, the
three cocktails we tasted were similar in their simplicity
but worlds away in taste and style.
Soap also serves food. Chicha Restaurant chef Shelome
Bouvette – who won Bao Bei’s coveted Dumpling Award
– makes the dumplings currently on rotation. “This week
the dumplings were flying out,” Davies says, smiling.
Davies has humble hopes for Soap. “Just to get Soap
to be a neighbourhood fixture would be nice and for
everyone to enjoy it and know where we are.” Having
worked as a bartender around the world, from London
to Egypt to Dubai, he finds something special about the
Canadian service industry, especially “the ends that people
go to and how welcoming they are.” That’s a standard that
Davis has certainly surpassed, having spent an evening
under the purple glow of Soap’s neon sign, listening to
great music on an even better sound system, and chatting
with the gregarious bartender.
“I’ve worked in bars for a long time. I like how social
they are. People always seem to be having a good time.”
With a genuine love for good food, good drinks, and
a good atmosphere, Davies effortlessly makes Soap a
cocktail bar that everyone can enjoy (and afford).
Soap is located at 789 Gore Avenue.
When day turns to dusk, Hunnybee Bruncheonette turns to Soap.
Photo by Lynol Lui
CHEWIE’S BISCUIT CO.
BAKING TRADITION, INNOVATION, AND COMMUNITY INTO THE DOUGH
AUSTIN TAYLOR
Chewie’s takes a step outside the traditional with contemporary takes on a timeless snack.
Chewie’s Biscuit Co. opened its doors this fall and has
quickly gained notoriety amongst the brunchers, Yelpers,
and folks craving a little homestyle nourishment with a
southern flare. It was whisked together by restaurateur
Richard Chew after a visit down south ignited his
obsession with the delicious buttermilk baked biscuit.
“I wanted this to [be] a family project that we could
all work on and bring something a little bit new to
Vancouver,” says Chew a.k.a. Chewie, whose name you
may recognize from his previous savory venture, Chewie’s
Steam & Oyster Bar.
If you’ve already seen photos of these appetizing eats
flooding your feeds, you will be pleased to know they
taste just as good as they look. Each biscuit is handmade
with great attention to detail – precise timing, the
highest quality ingredients, humidity controlled rooms,
lots of buttermilk, a little trial and error, and a dash of
cream and tartar, and you’ve got a biscuit you’ve been
dreaming of. But it’s not only the scrumptious biscuit
that makes Chewie’s so special: it’s the combination of
many unique flavours.
“The biscuits on their own are soft, flaky, and
delicious,” Chew describes, “but when you add
homemade fennel sausage, pepper gravy, and double
smoked bacon, it just adds to the deliciousness.”
Their menu is stacked with delectable variations on
the traditional biscuit: take the illustrious “Moose” for
instance. A buttermilk biscuit, fried chicken, double
smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, fennel sausage gravy,
and green onions all topped off with a perfectly fried
sunny side up egg. It is basically breakfast, lunch, and
dinner in one bite.
“The Davis” is one of their more brunchy options:
a French toasted biscuit, homemade sausage patty and
an egg slathered in maple syrup. If you’ve got a severe
case of the munchies, try “The Stoner,” which includes
fried chicken breast, stone ground mustard, honey,
bread and butter pickles. And don’t fret if you’re not
in the mood for a savory combo. Chewie’s also offers a
selection of sweets featuring ingredients like fresh berry
compote, gooseberries, and whipped cream. Or, if you’re
on the go, try Chewie’s legendary “Bonuts” – biscuit
donuts. Their take on the timeless snack is available
in old fashioned, chocolate, or the adventurous daily
“Mystery Bonut.”
Chewie’s also delivers on their drink selection. The
coffee bar is fully stocked with beans by local java
experts Agro Roasters. They are known to pump out
an espresso that will make even the biggest coffee snob
unfurrow their brow. Icy brews on tap by Whistler
Brewing Company with a crisp lager and the Parkside
Brewery’s hoppy pale ale, as well as two local wines from
Okanagan vineyards, the View Winery and Chaberton.
Or if you’re in need of a hair of the dog brunch staple,
they got you with mimosas, caesars, and boozy coffee to
take the edge off.
The interior decor is described by Chewie as
“comfortable with a touch of style.” With casual bench
seating and tables in cozy proximity, he adds, “We
wanted a warm feel and a space that you can connect
with your friends, family, and even someone sitting close
to you.”
Family run and community minded, Chewie’s is a
welcome addition to the eclectic Kitsilano restaurant
scene. So next time you’re craving buttermilk, gravy, fried
chicken and a frosty brew, check out Chewie’s Biscuit Co.
Chewie’s Biscuit Co. is located at at 2822 West 4th Avenue.
January 2019 17

BUDTENDERS TAKE CARE
SETTING THE BAR FOR BUDS BEHIND THE BAR
JAMILA POMEROY
THE ABCS AND 123S OF CBD
YOUR KEY TO A POTENTIALLY PAIN-FREE NEW YEAR
KEVIN BRYCE
Grassifieds
TOP CBD PRODUCTS TO CHOOSE FROM:
Elixinol CBD drops
A dietary supplement, taken sublingually. Elixinol is a very pure and
powerful product. It combines CBD with coconut oil and plenty of natural
flavors. Yet, the best thing is that it contains synergistic cannabinoids,
terpenoids and other essential oils of the original Hemp plant. ($0.069/mg)
Endoca Raw Hemp Oil Paste
It has a full spectrum of raw CBD oils that can treat anything you throw at
it. In terms of power, there is no other option like Endoca. It has an organic,
concentrated synergistic cannabinoids that can get you across the finish
line. ($0.095/mg)
While we may be a few months into cannabis legalization, remnants
of the grey-zone industry still remain. Frankie M, a budtender in the
grey-zone cannabis industry explains that while the legal changes
haven’t changed the customer experience a great deal, the budtender
experience has.
“There was a disconnect between the directors of the operation and
the store staff, which lead to a lack of trust and, at times, questionable
ethics. It’s complicated how I feel about the grey zone,” says Frankie,
who has worked in the industry for a few years. While many elements of
the old cannabis industry may be dismantled, there are some elements
that persist to remain.
“There was a great sense of community, and I would say there still is,”
he says. “Working in the grey leading up to legalization, I got used to
living and working in kind of a bubble where what was normal to me
was not to the average. Eventually you got to wake up to reality. They
kind of let the whole dispensary proliferation become this playground
to do whatever they want and the police to just turned a blind eye. Like
a farmers market for instance, you need a license: you can’t just set up
and sell goods, it doesn’t work like that. There needs to be regulation.
You need a license for any kind of business.”
These previous “bake sale” style operations may have paved the way
for the quiet green revolution, but with many unregulated and undertested
products, the objective shifts greatly towards money; making
some products, even with an initial good intention, be labeled as snake
oil. With regulation aimed at the betterment of product and the safety
of consumers, we can only assume to expect high caliber products for
the future.
Frankie explains that the current goal for legal cannabis businesses
appears to be on social responsibility, providing quality product and
information to the public. While these may be great elements of
legalization, they proceed alongside the cost of restrictions for cannabis
users.
“For someone coming from the pre-legalization industry, it’s more
restrictive. On one hand, in regards to stricter regulation on the potency
of the products, it’s more socially responsible. For new users or people
who aren’t familiar with dosing, this could be beneficial,” he says.
Legal cannabis consumers will now be less-likely to consume the
incorrect dose, due to lower integramed products, making it easier for
consumers to figure out the dose that is right for them. “In the grey
zone, we had up to 400mg THC capsules,” Frankie says, explaining that
restricting access to higher dosed products will prevent users from
consuming too much. While we may be veering further from mom and
pop-style operations, the cost, for budtenders at least, proves to provide
a safer and more secure working environment.
STRAIN-OF-THE-MONTH
Northern Lights
Cover yourself in the warm blanket of a rainbow
sky with Northern Lights. While the strain may
have a name that belongs up in the higher, and
colder regions of Canada, it is rumoured to have
first sprouted in Seattle. Northern Lights provides
a comfortable mellowness, ideal for pain relief and
sleep disorders. As a descendant of famous parent
strains, Afghani and Thai Landrace, this indica strain
has given rise to the popular Super Silver Haze.
Written by Jamila Pomeroy
The CBD industry is growing at a staggering rhythm, lending to a great
variety of products at the consumers disposal. CBD products come in a
wide range of forms, including oils, tinctures, capsules, gummies, salves
and creams. With so many options, it may be difficult to decide what
product is right for you. There are several CBD product reviews, which
you can easily find online. One of the most reliable sources of information
regarding any product is customer feedback. Therefore, it’s advisable to
surf the web for information, in addition to seeking information from a
legal cannabis operation or healthcare professional.
Take into account certain factors when deciding which product is the
right one for you. The reason why you need to use CBD products depends
on if your needs are therapeutic, recreation or dietary. The amount of
money that you are willing to expend in your CBD product is also a factor,
as is the degree of potency that you need to use. The dosage that you are
going to consume (Not every CBD product comes in small dosages for
example) should also be taken in to consideration. Also, if you travel a lot,
consider purchasing a CBD supplement that can be easily transported.
Endoca Raw Hemp Oil Drops
It is a very affordable raw CBD oil option that many customers prefer.
Don’t be surprised though, Endoca is already a top-rated brand in the
CBD industry. Plus, this option of 300mg drops is perfect for maintenance
options. ($0.10/mg)
Elixinol Citrus Twist Water Soluble Liposomes
Despite having a lot of citrus, it doesn’t have any bitter taste thanks to a
cutting-edge tech during its manufacturing. This CBD product is 100%
naturally fruit-flavored with a little stevia-sweetener. It is also very portable.
($0.20/mg)
CBDfx Vape E-Liquid
It offers a different option in regards of how you intake CBD. It supports a
very strong philosophy around plant medicine. Plus, CBDfx has very tasty
and powerful e-liquids. It costs ($0.19/mg)
CBD or CBD/THC salves and creams
Topical CBD creams and salves provide pain-relief to targeted areas, ideal
for people with arthritis and joint pain. A small amount of these applied to
the temples can also help relieve headaches. (The Buddha Bar costs $45.00)
18
January 2019

CITY
WEATHERED BEER CELEBRATION
DARK LIKE DICKENS
JENNIE ORTON
Weathered Beer Celebration celebrates all brews dark and moody.
In the wake of the holiday season, many people seek to purge the ghosts of Christmas by getting
a gym membership and putting down the bottle. But for those of us who know better, there
is the Weathered Beer Celebration: a showcase of the best dark beer the BC craft community
has to offer alongside the art that represents them. Brought to you by the folks that gave you
summer’s Farmhouse Fest, Weathered is something to look forward to when the crust of New
Year’s Eve has officially worn off.
Director and Organizer Jonathan Evans is personally stoked to have the opportunity to
sample and celebrate the darker offerings from a local craft beer scene most noted for its hazy
hop sauces.
“This city is still going hop mad,” says Evans. “Not any particular flavour, but the juicier the
better, it seems. The West Coast IPA, while extremely delicious, has given way to the haze craze.”
This is why Evans believes it is time to give a little press to the dark counterparts. “I’ve been
a little surprised but also impressed with how many imperial stouts have come out this last
month. Even last year, you could probably count on two hands how many were available in the
city. Not anymore.”
“Bigger darker beers, I think, have an association that goes well with the holiday’s cold
weather,” he adds. “And you don’t need to drink an imperial stout ice cold to enjoy it. Many of
these barrel aged beers have spent a year in hiding, so you’ll want to sip on them a little slower,
which is perfect when it gets dark at 4 p.m.”
Along with celebrating local and import wares of this type, Evans is also primed to appreciate
the art behind the creative branding that tends to accompany a lot of BC’s craft beer.
“The goal is to feature the designs and illustrations you see on the actual beers, but isolated
to feature just that artwork,” he says. “There will be original photography as well. Collective Arts
has a series of six imperial stouts and individual artworks from various artists. Matt Kump. who
is one of my partners on Farmhouse Fest, is doing design work with Boombox Brewing, Alison
Page at Four Winds will have original photography, Steve Kitchen from P49 has prints from the
new label art of their barrel aged series. The images from Weathered by yours truly will also be
present, along with hopefully a whole bunch more from other Vancouver breweries still TBD.”
The event will also feature short films from Field House, Back Country, and projected visuals
from other breweries as well. And, of course, beer. All the beer.
Weathered is a chance to celebrate the artistry from stem to stern in the craft brew process
in BC, and to recognize the bounty of gifts we have in this province for creating beer year-round
that satisfies whatever itch your barley craving needs scratched.
“You’re starting to see a lot more locally sourced whole BC fruit used in the wild ales and sour
beers. As for the stouts and barley wines, there’s beginning to be a bit more of a partnership
with distilleries based in BC for their barrels. A combination of their ingredients and the beer
ingredients with our extended growing season do make for a very local product, which just isn’t
possible in all regions. Local is very important to people, and being able to grab a pint down the
street from someone you can connect to is a big deal.”
Weathered takes place on January 12 at Heritage Hall.
January 2019 19

ENSIFERUM
FOLK METALLERS WANT TO HAVE FUN BEFORE THEY DIE
ANA KRUNIC
SILVERSTEIN
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF WHEN BROKEN IS EASILY FIXED
SLONE FOX
A staple in Canadian post-hardcore for 18 years
running, Silverstein doesn’t pick favourites when
it comes to their growth as a band. Revisiting their
roots and heading back to the basics, the band has
embarked on a unique journey in honour of the 15th
anniversary of their first record, When Broken Is Easily
Fixed, accompanied by Hawthorne Heights, As Cities
Burn and Capstan, playing the album from start to
finish and following it up with their greatest hits.
“We’ve put out, like, eight albums,” says vocalist
Shane Told. “Having a favourite song at this point is
like having a favourite child, but let’s say you have
over a hundred kids. A lot of people are excited
because at this point in our career, they just never
thought they’d get to see those songs live. A lot of
them have so much meaning to people because
they’ve grown with them for years.”
While most fan bases have an innate fear of
bands drifting away from their initial sound, this has
proven to be a non-issue for Silverstein. Staying true
to their original style, Silverstein has progressed and
snowballed into a band that has now toured the
world, sold over one million albums, and has yet to
even reach their full potential, according to Told.
“We feel like we’re just getting started,” he says.
“We’re not one of those bands that went away –
we’ve been here the whole time. Since we got signed
in 2002, all we’ve done is work. Whether we’ve been
on the road or writing and recording, we’ve really
been taking no breaks. We’ve gone back and forth
from one to the other for 18 years. When this tour is
done, we’re going to go back home and book some
studio time and start writing some songs. Hopefully
we’ll have a record out pretty soon.”
Silverstein is notorious for putting out albums like
clockwork, with a new one released every two years
on the odd numbered years, but fans shouldn’t get
their hopes up for 2019. While it’s not impossible,
2020 is much more likely according to the quintet,
who are content continuing to play what they’ve
already created in the meantime.
“Bringing back the stuff we’ve done is just
celebrating. Nothing is taking away from the music
we’re making now,” says Told. “Obviously it’s always
important to promote our current stuff, and a lot of
bands, to be frank, they suck worse and worse and
worse as they get older. Their records get less inspired.
In some cases, it gets a little embarrassing, and we
take a lot of pride in that we always push ourselves
every record and our music has only gotten better.”
With 18 years behind them and countless more
on the horizon, call it karma that Silverstein has been
able to blossom into the beautiful, hardcore flower
they are today.
Silverstein plays January 25 at the Rickshaw Theatre.
Ensiferum are so metal that even their acoustic shows inspire mosh pits.
Photo by Wyatt Clough
There are few live acts in metal today that
are as unironically fun as Finland’s Ensiferum.
Their particular folky/power metal branch on
the genre tree is pretty much the antithesis
of doom. Beaming faces and accordions are
not what you’d expect to see on stage. When
you write what sounds like drinking songs
for mild-mannered Vikings, it’s easy for your
shows to get pretty rowdy, which was even
the case on their most recent all-acoustic
tour.
“Even though we’re playing ballads and
stuff, we’ve still got mosh pits and crowd
surfing and all the normal wild things going
on,” says vocalist and bass player Sami Hinkka.
“We’re playing songs we haven’t been able
to play normally, since it’s tough to mix an
acoustic song in the middle of a metal set. So
we decided to just go for the acoustic tour
concept. We just come onstage as ourselves,
sit down and we get to drink a bit more,” he
laughs. “It’s been great for the really hardcore
fans. It’s a chance to see a lot of songs that
we’ve never played outside of Finland.”
Ensiferum as a concept is best
encapsulated in their live show. In an effort to
catch that in studio, their most recent album,
Two Paths, was recorded analog rather than
digital.
“The goal was to have an album that
sounds more like a live album,” says Hinkka.
20
“Because Ensiferum is absolutely a live band.
It’s really hard to get into that state of mind
when you’re in the studio. So the whole band
would be playing at the same time when we
would be recording the drums. For example,
on the last album there are two songs where
the drums and bass are from the same take
from beginning to end, and that’s pretty oldschool.
It gives it a whole different groove.”
Because folk metal is such a different
animal from the many less immediately
embraceable metal subgenres, it’s exploded
in popularity in the last 15 years and its
epicenter was almost certainly in Finland.
Ensiferum, along with other Finnish bands
like Finntroll and Korpiklaani, helped to
popularize it in the early 2000s.
“How a lot of us got into metal was
melodic style death metal – that had a really
big impact. So I guess folk metal is easier for
people to approach because it’s got catchy
melodies,” says Hinkka. “While there are so
many serious songs with serious topics, we’ve
got lots of tongue-in-cheek moments. Like,
come on, let’s drink and have fun before we
die!”
Surely not many people would argue with
that.
Ensiferum performs at the Rickshaw Theatre
on January 18.
Their upcoming tour is a love letter to early 2000s teens with support from Hawthorne Heights and As Cities Burn.
January 2019

WEEDEATER
LONG LIVE CAVE METAL!
CHRISTINE LEONARD
Three close buds, Weedeater know how to roll.
Weedeater is North Carolina’s answer to that
persistent mental overgrowth that’s been
hampering your pit game. Whip-snapping
spines and ears since 1998, the outfit was
sparked by Dave “Dixie” Collins who drove
the project forward with sludgy bass lines and
swamp-holler vocals.
“The formula for what we do is quite simple.
It’s cave metal. We’re not trying to reinvent the
wheel,” explains Dixie. “It’s easy to play and hard
to write. We’ve got a bunch of new riffs now
that sound just like Weedeater, so I imagine we
will put them to tape as soon as we can.”
Having signed to Berserker Records,
Weedeater emerged with their debut album, ...
And Justice For Y’all in 2001 with their second
LP, Sixteen Tons, following in 2003. Both releases
established Weedeater as a powerful force to
be reckoned with. Their strafing vocals and
punishingly heavy downstrokes were wellaligned
with tourmates like Down, Arch Enemy
and Gwar that saw festivals unfurled the green
carpet for Dixie, guitarist Dave “Shep” Shepherd
and drummer Keith “Keko” Kirkum. By 2009
Weedeater was conquering the world and
moving on to Southern Lord Records. Their
third album, God Luck and Good Speed, which
appeared later that year and 2011’s Jason… The
Dragon shared the distinction of having been
produced by punk-producer guru Steve Albini
(Big Black, Shellac).
2013 saw more shake-ups for Weedeater
as Travis Owen took over drumming duties
and the group migrated to the French record
company Season of Mist. Their new label
subsequently reissued the band’s back-catalogue
and their latest doom metal meets southern
rock offering, Goliathan, which dropped in 2015.
“We’ve never been much of a political band.
Even though there are some political songs,
but their meanings are hidden. Like the song
‘Weed Monkeys’ people think it’s about weed
monkeys, but it’s about government. The
Goliathan record had a lot of weird Biblical
themes to it. The next record is going to have
some themes, as well. Possibly plant based.”
Naturally, given their name, receiving treats
from fans is an occupational hazard for Dixie
and the pot diners in Weedeater.
“We get them given to us all the time, I guess
that’s built into the name. I like ‘em! Especially
for long rides, they’re great. We’ve got a driver
on tour now, so they definitely help pass the
time and make you feel good! There’s lots of
places in the U.S. where you can buy edibles
that have been regulated and packaged up and
everything. They tell you what you’re dealing
with, so you know not to overdo it. Or to
overdo it, if that’s what you’re trying to do. The
people that bring us their homemade gifts like
that are forthright about telling us what’s in it
and how much. One time, years ago, our old
drummer ate a whole cookie that was supposed
to be a four-way and that about ruined him for
a couple of days. But he knew better, and he
was told not to do it. He said ‘Whatever, I’ll eat
the whole damn thing! I’m a grown man!’ and
sure enough he was curled up in the corner
whimpering.”
Weedeater perform Feb. 2 at the Rickshaw
Theatre (Vancouver).
S T A Y
N E W S I N G L E A V A I L A B L E N O W
January 2019 21

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS
EMO SUPERSTARS AREN’T AFRAID OF YOUR LABELS
SLONE FOX
Photo by Kat Nijmeddin
Despite what people say about labels, Hawthorne Heights stay true to their sound and are just happy people want to rock out.
A staple in emo music since 2001, Hawthorne Heights has endured more than
the average band. Through extensive member changes, lawsuits, and the death
of former guitarist Casey Calvert, the quartet has bonded and grown together
in a way that many other bands never experience. Their versatility and resilience
ring true in nearly everything they do, and their newest album is no exception.
With the release of Bad Frequencies earlier this year, the band has dusted
off their throne in one of the most fondly loved genres of the 2000s. While
Hawthorne Heights ebbs and flows between many of the harder genres, the
band has no problem embracing a label many others routinely reject.
“If you label something long enough, that’s what everyone refers to it as and
we have no problem with it at all. We’re just excited to be bunched in with so
many great bands,” says guitarist Mark McMillon, citing a long list of influential
bands from Sunny Day Real Estate to the Get Up Kids and beyond.
“I know a lot of contemporary bands shy away from it, specifically with the
resurgence of things like ‘emo night,’” McMillon continues. “There seems to
be kind of a trend of bands not wanting to be labelled that and claiming that
they’re just a rock band, but we’ve learned not to shy away from it and let
people put whatever kind of label they want on it. We’re just happy that people
want to talk about it.”
Hawthorne Heights’ sometimes enviable longevity can mainly be attributed
to their non-stop labour of love when it comes to music. Having joined up with
Silverstein to open for the When Broken Is Easily Fixed 15 Year Anniversary Tour
this winter, the band finished the first leg of the tour in high spirits, but also in
an energy deficit.
“Right before this, we were in Europe for a month and we only had, like, 22
hours at home between tours. By week three of the Silverstein tour, we’d been
on tour for a month and a half.”
With a brief break before making their way through Canada on the second
leg of the Silverstein tour, Hawthorne Heights already has their sights set on
writing a new record in 2019. From hard rock to post-hardcore, screamo to
emo, no matter what genre they venture into for future records, fans can be
comforted knowing that Hawthorne Heights will always stay true to their
sound.
“Once we get our music played out and JT adds his vocals to it, it always just
ends up sounding like Hawthorne Heights,” says McMillon.
Hawthorne Heights plays January 25 at the Rickshaw Theatre with Silverstein, As
Cities Burn and Capstan.
22
January 2019

MUSIC
ALTAMEDA
SHINING THROUGH ON NUMBER TWO
JOE HARTFEIL
There’s a palpable live feeling at the heart of
Edmonton-based Altameda’s second release,
which is at odds with their more tailored debut,
2016’s Dirty Rain. The genesis of Time Hasn’t
Changed You took shape in a manner that might
please legendary Big Pink denizens The Band (a
long-time fixture in the Altameda van’s disc
changer), in that the new songs were first laid down
in somewhat primitive fashion at keyboardist Matt
Kraus’s cabin. While the group considered putting
out the recordings in this barebones form, the
tracks went through a transformation under the
guidance of Toronto producer Aaron Goldstein
(known for his work with City & Colour, Daniel
Romano and Kathleen Edwards).
Upon arriving in TO, Goldstein invited the
musicians to Thanksgiving dinner then sent them
off for a good night’s rest before rolling tape the
next morning. According to bassist Todd Andrews,
there was “a lot of togetherness with this record
compared to the last one.” Opposed to the usual
routine where band members worked their
respective day jobs then got together when they all
found the time, the group would “get up and walk
to the studio from where we were staying, work for
the whole day, get some dinner, walk home, repeat.”
The organic atmosphere Goldstein fostered
meant the band would record basic tracks as a
group (with perfection sometimes sacrificed in
favour of feel), while overdubs often involved
surprise guests as they happened by. One such
instance saw John Prine’s fiddler Kendel Carson
popping in to borrow a cable from Goldstein. She
subsequently laid down a gorgeous part for the
plaintive “Fire,” which, as drummer Erik Grice tells
it, had everyone “weeping in the control room.”
Additional ornamentations such as Goldstein’s
tasteful pedal steel touches and the Last Waltzesque
horns courtesy of Joseph Shabason and
Vince Spilchuk underline Altameda now playing
with a relaxed, swinging confidence beyond the
best moments on its first album. In listening
to Dirty Rain and Time Hasn’t Changed Me back
to back, the former now feels like a promising
warmup.
Time hasn’t changed the essence of a band
whose members take genuine pleasure in playing
and spending time with one another. Rather, it’s
allowed the individual parts to stand out more in
the context of a cohesive whole. Guitarist/singer
Troy Snaterse sounds every bit the plainspoken
alt-country troubadour, and his layers of acoustic
and swirling electric textures on “Good Will
Surely Come” lend an intelligent groove to the
proceedings. Keyboardist Kraus is capable of
resembling Garth Hudson or Richard Manuel one
moment and Ian McLagan at his boozy Faces’ best
the next, while the rhythm team of Erik Grice and
Todd Andrews (who have played together from
the age of fourteen) put enough power in the pop
to break Tom Petty’s heart. A well-crafted album
ready to flourish alongside Altameda’s upcoming
trek through the Canadian prairies.
Altameda perform January 25 at the Commodore
Ballroom.
FEATURED CONCERTS
VICTORIA, BC
THE DUDES
PLUS ACRES OF LIONS & TROPHY DAD
CAPITAL BALLROOM // FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28
Photo by Levi Manchak
TAGGART & TORRENS
PLUS GUESTS
CAPITAL BALLROOM // THURSDAY, JANUARY 17
THE TREWS
PLUS ALTAMEDA
CAPITAL BALLROOM // TUESDAY, JANUARY 22
OLD MAN LUEDECKE
PLUS GUESTS
CAPITAL BALLROOM // SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2
A rock ‘n’ roll powerhouse from the prairies, Edmonton’s Altameda are on a roll with their sophomore album, Time Hasn’t Changed You.
FOR FULL CONCERT LISTINGS & TO PURCHASE
TICKETS, PLEASE VISIT:
WWW.ATOMIQUEPRODUCTIONS.COM
FACEBOOK /ATOMIQUEPRODUCTIONS TWITTER @ATOMIQUEEVENTS
January 2019 23

MUSIC
REMEMBER SPORTS
REVISITING EMOTIONAL HARDSHIP ON SLOW BUZZ
GRAEME WIGGINS
EMILY KING
LEARNING TO WORK WITH THE CRICKETS IN THE CATSKILLS
ADAM DEANE
Photo by Carly Hoskins
Remember Sports has revamped their live show, playing with the notion of what a four-piece should be.
When Emily King transplanted herself from
the hustle and bustle of city life to the quiet
mountains of upstate New York, the successful
33-year-old recording artist and all around gentle
individual found some magic inside herself. King
decided to title this magic, Scenery. For the past
year, she’s been living out every child-of-music’s
dream and recording her second studio album in
her backyard garage.
Rather than dealing with the preposterous
demands of studio personalities, explosive egos
and judgment all around, her main concern
recording Scenery in the Catskills were the crickets
living in the floorboards of her recording studio.
BeatRoute found King in her element amidst her
pre-tour preparations to talk to her about what
stirs her creative spirit.
“Sometimes, you have to put on high heels,
makeup, or wear a backpack around the house —
you really have to trick yourself into being in the
place you need to create. I find it really helps to
have some sort of feelings to start off the whole
recording process. The nice part about making
Scenery was that I had all kinds of genuine feelings
from all of the change happening from my move
away from the city.”
Although donning makeup or heels doesn’t
necessarily bring out everyone’s creative side, King
assured us that will-power and believing that your
work matters is a necessary precursor to success in
a lot of ways.
“In a city you can walk around at night. You’re a
weirdo if you do that up here (the Catskills). One
of my favourite things is walking around the city at
night,” she says. “You get out of your head, you’re
physical, there is so much stimulation. Lyrics and
feelings come from that. A lot of it is sitting down
to do it and knowing not everything is going to be
awesome.”
King’s lead single off of her upcoming release,
“Remind Me,” happens to be one of the times
she sat down and something awesome was the
by-product. King’s squeaky clean staccato vocals
lend the perfect complement to the warm,
vintage, synthy vibes of the sound. You can’t argue
with radio praise and her solid following in every
city she frequents on tour. King has kept her fans
waiting four years for the launch of Scenery, which
only hints at the amount of mastery and care that
has gone into this album. If King’s humble attitude
is any indicator of her success it’s safe to say 2019
will be a good year for her and all of her hungry
fans.
Emily King performs January 27 at Fortune Sound
Club (Vancouver)
Not all breakups are created equal. They needn’t
all involve the intense betrayal and drama that
requires an Adele record to cry one’s way to
catharsis. Sometimes they’re slower and more
filled with ennui than angst, the result of a long,
slow process. Punky indie rockers Remember
Sports (formerly just Sports) have just the
album for that with Slow Buzz, an upbeat,
punky breakup album that deals with being in
an emotional place but maintains a jangly beat
to keep one from getting too overcome with
sadness.
As for the “breakup record” label, singer
Carmen Perry is okay with it: “I don’t mind
oversimplifying it to that. That is what it is, at its
core. And I think a lot of albums are. It doesn’t
really make it special – it’s just what it is.”
This kind of plain-speaking is mirrored in
the album. One might wonder if the target
of a breakup record will ever listen to it, and
how that affects the writing process. This is
important for Perry.
“I think about that a lot,” she says. “It’s really
hard to write about something that you went
through with someone who is inevitably going
to hear it. That’s something I’ve struggled with
since I started putting music out and not just
writing for my own personal use. It makes it a
little harder, and puts a block there that you
have to get through that you don’t really have
when it’s just you that’s ever going to hear it. It’s
something I’m still working on: getting back to a
more honest place.”
Slow Buzz is their third album, and it’s not
their first to deal with emotional topics. It’s a
pretty important feature of the band: many of
their songs are about specific situations that
24
no longer feature prominently in the singer’s
emotional life. Those could be either easier
to perform, no longer going through those
emotions as they come up, or they could be
harder, as one no longer connects as strongly.
“There are definitely songs that we’ve
played for a long time that I think it’s gotten
to the point where I don’t think about them
anymore because they don’t require me to,”
says Perry. “A song from our last album called
‘The Washing Machine’ was sort of getting to
that point for me and then the day that me
and this person broke up, I played a show right
after and we played that song and I just started
crying through it. The emotions came back
because of the context. Something I like about
writing songs and recording them and having
them forever is that they start to mean different
things. The way you view them and what they
are about is always changing, so it’s nice to have
time capsules to remember them by.”
Slow Buzz features some new sounds and
song-writing styles for the band and this has
translated to trying new things for their live
show. They’re expanding their sound from their
stripped-down, punky basics.
“For me personally, I never fucked with
guitar pedals at all,” she says. “I’ve been doing
that recently. And we’re using some wacky
stuff in our live shows that sometimes works
and sometimes doesn’t. I think we’re really
consciously trying not to totally break the mold
of the four-piece band setup, but maybe push its
limits a little bit in a way that feels refreshing.”
Remember Sports perform January 13 at the
Biltmore Cabaret.
Photo by Bao Ngo
Emily King pauses to enjoy the scenery after an inspiring upheaval of her big city life to the mountains.
December 2018

LP
CREATING AN ECLECTIC UNIVERSE OF HER OWN
NOÉMIE ATTIA
MUSIC
LP’s Heart To Mouth is a moody expression with a colourful aesthetic.
SNAIL MAIL
LOOKING TO THE PAST AND FUTURE WITH INDIE SINGER ON THE RISE
GRAEME WIGGINS
It’s been a pretty huge year for Lindsey Jordan, the
creative force behind indie rock project Snail Mail. She
released her first full album, Lush, which was critically
acclaimed and just recently landed on many end of year
best-of lists, and toured nearly non-stop. This is for good
reason, as Lush is a melodic and engaging album that
shows surprising maturity for a debut. It deserves the
praise it’s getting.
Given it’s been such a successful year, if Jordan was
given the opportunity to give any advice to her year-anda-half
younger self, there’s not much she feels she could
impart. As she puts it: “I’m pretty proud of myself from a
year and half ago. I was so focused and on it that I feel like
now I’m just trying to force myself to relax, which is great
off an album cycle but not great trying to make a new
album. I would actually channel frantic me from a year
ago and maybe get some advice from her.”
“Maybe just ‘keep doing what you’re doing, and good
job!’ I was pretty hard on myself at the time and pretty
impatient with myself. I feel like I would have given myself
a hug and let them chill out for a sec.”
This translates directly into her plans for the new year.
In terms of New Year’s resolutions, they involve a little bit
of self care.
“I’ve been going to movies a lot this year,” she says.
“I really like seeing everything in theatres when I have
time off, so maybe just making more time for my friends.
Hopefully just write as much as possible, take some time
to myself and kick back and enjoy things more. We’ve
kind of improved the logistics of our live show now that
we have a sound-person. Just work on things being the
LP has given a new meaning to her songwriting in the last
few years. It’s been her main focus for many years, but
her solo career as a performer is getting more and more
attention. Her hit, “Lost on You,” from 2016 was as successful
as the tunes she made for Rihanna, Cher, Christina Aguilera
and even the Backstreet Boys. She shows how a music
composer can also be a talented singer and create a universe
of her own, as eclectic and well put together. Her new album,
Heart to Mouth, was released in December 2018 and she
insists on her complete creative implication.
“Of course I’m the composer and songwriter as well,” she
says on the phone. “It’s my project I mean, I’m not singing
other people’s songs, I write for other people as well, so that
would be kind of weird.” She jokingly adds, “maybe I’ll do
that some day… get a bunch of people writing for me.”
However, one could hardly picture LP giving away part of
her creative process. Her genre is, in her words, “a bit all over
the place,” but it’s her own indie, pop, rock interpretation
of “life, just all life.” She comes up with musical ideas on her
breaks during her tours: lyrics, melodies, inspired by her
experiences.
“I just collect different stuff, everything,” she says. “I’m
constantly collecting: chords, lyrics, concepts and titles. Then
we get to the studio and we just throw our stuff around. And
I’m with some very good writers as well.”
LP not only expresses a particular musical standpoint,
but she also has her own way of performing, with a voice as
best they can possibly be.”
Looking even further forward, to a possible next
album, she has already put in some thought.
“I would love a little more synth action,” says Jordan.
“I know that’s what everyone does with their second
record. We just added a synth to our live show. Any
kind of keys... more diverse instrumentation. I want the
songs to be longer, even though they are already pretty
long. I love a long song. It’s kind of what I was trying to
go against when I was writing Lush and I think that was
really unnatural for me. I’m going to take as much time as
I want and keep working on it.”
While we might not be hearing a new album for
awhile, with Jordan’s work ethic and perfectionism, we
can expect things to be held to a high standard.
“I’ve been working on one Snail Mail song that will
come out eventually for a year and it keeps changing.
It could have been done six months ago when we were
at Coachella. The song was basically finished then but I
wasn’t completely satisfied and I have been working on it
basically every day since, opening it and changing it and
finally it’s at a place where it’s at my standard for a good
song which I’m really happy about. I think giving it that
time and room to evolve and breathe is super important
to my writing process.”
So while those songs and ideas marinate for a
while still, we’ll have Lush to listen to and a live show
guaranteed to involve some intense sing-a-longs. There
are worse ways to start the year.
Catch Snail Mail live January 27 at The Imperial.
raucous as it is lyrical that she trained assiduously. “I did a lot
of scales and studied some opera but really it was the scales
that did a lot for me. It’s like if you were a guitar player and if
you did a lot of scales. I needed to. My voice is very dynamic
and very loud and bulky and I knew that I would have a
problem with it if I didn’t take care of it, warm up and do all
the things that you’re supposed to do.”
And she is keen to perform at her full artistic capacity
during her shows, which makes them highly qualitative and
satisfying for the most attentive musicians. “I like people to
be able to hear, almost exactly what’s on the record, maybe
with a few variations obviously. I think the live show is an
extension of the album, I hope. The public gets everything
they love about the record and more.”
LP describes Heart to Mouth as follows: “I think this
record is nothing if not moody for sure.” She creates this
impression musically and visually, with a rather colourful
choice for her full orange cover and aesthetic music videos.
“It was just an explosion of colour to me. All my work had
been in black and white and I just felt like this one wanted
to be colour. You’re definitely doing colour if you’re wearing
monochrome orange. It felt fun and different and the picture
of orange with teal blue: it’s two colours that are weird
and classy and beautiful,” as her video for “Girls Go Wild”
illustrates.
LP performs January 31 at the Orpheum Theatre (Vancouver).
Snail Mail’s Lindsey Jordan is brimming with creative energy on the heels of first full-length.
January 2019 25

UPCOMING SHOWS
CLASS OF 2019: LITTLE DESTROYER JANUARY 17
WITH DUMB, HALEY BLAIS & KIM GRAY
STILL WOOZY
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
JANUARY 13
REMEMBER SPORTS
WITH PLLUSH, JOCK TEARS & CLUB SOFA
JANUARY 13
WARBLY JETS
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
JANUARY 15
THE VTH CIRCLE
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
JANUARY 19
ZOMBIE ROOF
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
JANUARY 26
EFRIM MANUEL MENUCK
(OF GODSPEED! YOU BLACK EMPEROR)
JANUARY 29
TRACEYANNE & DANNY
KEUNING
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
FEBRUARY 1 FEBRUARY 9
FEBRUARY 10
DRAMA
WITH CLAIRE GEORGE
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT BILTMORECABARET.COM

AARON PRITCHETT
COUNTRY MUSIC STAR GOES OUT ON THE TOWN
KELLY FINDLAY
Made with his fans in mind, Out On The Town is certainly not Aaron Pritchett’s first rodeo.
Aaron Pritchett has been in the country music
business for more than twenty-five years, but music
wasn’t his first choice. He originally wanted to be
an actor but joked, “I realized that I probably wasn’t
that good at it.” Music kind of just happened for
Pritchett. One night in 1991 he was at a karaoke
bar with his mom. He had no plans to sing that
night but his mom begged him to. After singing, the
owner came up to him and offered him a singing
PUGS AND CROWS
INDIE JAZZ TROUPE PLAYS RESPECT TO FAMILY
MADDY CRISTALL
The ever impressive Pugs and Crows have just
released their fourth album, UNCLE. The Vancouver
based indie-jazz band never cease to create
innovative and genre bending music. They blend
together modern jazz, art folk and avant garde
stylings. The combination is these otherwise
underexplored genres accumulated brilliantly. This
is only possible because each member of the band
is objectivity talented and have excelled at the
instruments they play. Pugs and Crows have been
making music for 10 years, have toured across the
world and earned themselves a Juno award for
best instrumental album in 2013. Now they have
joined forces with hypnotic singer-songwriter Marin
Patenaude and elevated their already highly evolved
music to another level.
The band’s frontman Cole Schmidt explains, “The
album took three years to make, when my uncle,
who gave a lot, got hit with fourth stage esophageal
cancer and died four months later. Around the
same time, many close friends and bandmates
were starting to have kids. A few others also came
and went along the way.” It is deeply apparent that
this music comes from a highly emotional place,
it plucks every little delicate string inside of you.
Patenaude adds a visceral element to the band’s
otherwise mostly instrumental approach. Schmidt
says, “Marin and I have been playing music together
for as long as the Pugs and Crows have been going.
This batch of music felt a little extra vulnerable
and required someone that wouldn’t allow too
job.
It wasn’t an easy road, however. “The path got
really bumpy, a bit of a deterrence,” says Pritchett.
He wasn’t having the success on the radio and
wondered if he should just move onto something
else. After doing a lot of soul searching, Pritchett
realized music was all he wanted to do, so he
pushed on, hired a different producer and teamed
up with a new record label.
much ego to get in the way. Just like the others in
the band, I have a lot of trust for all the choices
she makes musically.” Patenaude does to Pugs and
Crows what Beth Gibbins does to Portishead, she
breathes life into the music.
UNCLE was recorded at Afterlife Studios by John
Raham. Cole Schmidt also produced the album
alongside Chris Gestrin.
“The recording process for this album was totally
different for us. Rather than write parts, rehearse for
months, and play lots of live shows before recording
the music live off the floor, we went into the studio
very underprepared,” Schmidt says. “Instead we
spent time improvising on each section at length,
Pritchett just released his eighth album, Out On
The Town, with his first hit single “Worth A Shot.”
He explains that this album has grown from his
previous -releases due to his “maturity level and
the overall approach to the business.” Although
Pritchett doesn’t write many of his own songs
anymore, he really thinks about what the fans want
to hear. He says each song on his new album is
diverse. There is one song, an anthem song called
“Drink Along Song” that he hopes will have the
impact like “Hold My Beer” and “Let’s Get Rowdy”.
2018 was a busy and successful year for Pritchett.
Earlier in the year he was asked to be involved with
the JUNOfest doing the meet and greet with fans
and playing in the JUNOCup hockey game. “Hockey
is my first true love of life,” he says.
With such a busy schedule, it’s extremely hard to
have a lot of time with family and friends. Pritchett
said there was a time that he lost focus on his
friends and family and realized “never let a moment
go by with the industry, but more important are the
people that will always be there for you, in the end,
your family and friends.”
Aaron Pritchett performs January 15 at the Vogue
Theatre (Vancouver).
before editing it down like a film.”
The handiwork on the album is impressive, every
single moment feels important. When asked if it’s
difficult to make jazz music in 2018, Cole responds,
“Probably not much more difficult than being in a
grindcore band in 2018. Maybe more old people,
and less pitbulls with jazz.” They make complicated
music and it pays off. Their choice to collaborate
with Patenaude was another strong choice for the
band. Uncle is an extraordinary album that doesn’t
take any shortcuts, it takes you down a scenic walk
through a place you’ve never seen before.
UNCLE is now available on all streaming platforms.
Photo by Sam Tudor
Blending jazz and folk stylings, Pugs and Crows invite vocalist Marin Patenaude along for the ride on Uncle.
RIO
THEATRE
1660 EAST BROADWAY
JANUARY
4
JANUARY
5 & 6
JANUARY
7
JANUARY
8
JANUARY
9
JANUARY
11
JANUARY
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JANUARY
13
JANUARY
17
JANUARY
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JANUARY
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JANUARY
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JANUARY
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JANUARY
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FEBRUARY
6
FEBRUARY
7
JANUARY
Mamoru Hosoda’s
*MIRAI OF THE FUTURE
LOVING VINCENT
Melissa McCarthy & Richard E. Grant
*CAN YOU EVER
FORGIVE ME?
LABYRINTH
Friday Late Night Movie
One Trilogy Marathon
to Rule Them All...
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
(Extended Editions!)
All Day. All Night. All Middle Earth!
Hosted by the Geekenders
Spike Lee's
*BLACKkKLANSMAN
*for additional screenings see riotheatre.ca
CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Willem Dafoe in
*AT ETERNITY'S GATE
*for additional screenings see riotheatre.ca
Ethan Hawke in
FIRST REFORMED
STORY STORY LIE
Hot and Heavy
SUPER CHIKAN &
THE MOJO STARS
Bring Your Multipass!
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
Friday Late Night Movie
Ralph Bakshi's
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
40th Anniversary Screening!
The Tumor Foundation of BC Presents
COMEDY FOR A CURE
*FREE SOLO
Natalie Portman in
*VOX LUX
*for additional screenings see riotheatre.ca
The Gentlemen Hecklers Present
STAR TREK III
The Search For Spock
Jane Fonda in
BARBARELLA
Friday Late Night Movie
Portia Favro & Cherry OnTop Present
LUST 2.0
*Also Friday, January 18
Crazy8s DGCBC
20th Anniversary
Fundraiser Screening
April O’Peel Presents
CARTOON CABARET
Destroy Your Childhood!
John Carpenter's
THE THING
Friday Late Night Movie
The Geekenders Present
NAUGHTY PYTHON'S
FLYING BURLESQUE CIRCUS
The Fictionals Comedy Co. Present
IMPROV AGAINST HUMANITY
Game of Love #IAHatRio
11th Anniversary Show
PAUL ANTHONY'S TALENT TIME
First Thursday of Every Month!
MUSIC
COMPLETE LISTINGS AT WWW.RIOTHEATRE.CA
January 2019 27

MUSIC
CHERRIE LAUREL
THE POLITICS OF BEING A WOMAN
JOHNNY KOSMOS
Brittney Rand finds her inner flame on A Furnace, A Fire.
Photo by Ian Lanterman
Cherrie Laurel is the solo pseudonym of Vancouver based
artist Brittney Rand. This is not her first musical rodeo, but as
she puts it, “an exercise in relinquishing control.”It is apparent
from the first few seconds of our encounter that she is
someone who doesn’t need my time, but values it as much
as I will. There is a struggle apparent within the confines of
society that I have acknowledged but am still working to fully
understand. Women are essential but have yet to be given the
respect that being essential commands.
“It made me incredibly angry,” Rand says of how everything
unfolded throughout the #metoo movement. Her own
personal struggles coupled with so many public cases made
for a very frustrated and pissed off woman. Her debut EP, A
Furnace, A Fire, is the personal embodiment of all that anger.
Written over the course of several years, she realized her
experiences weren’t unique. They were merely the culmination
of a lifetime as a woman now epitomized in the wake of
today’s awakened movement. The questions still linger for
Rand. What do we do now? Can we forgive? Is it even possible?
The music itself is impressive, especially coupled with the
fact that she did everything on her own. “Written, recorded
and produced by me” is quite a statement in and of itself.
When the end product is something any studio would strive
for, everyone should take notice.
“I try to write songs in one sitting, because if you go to bed
and wake up the next morning you lose the magic and the
place where you needed to hear that story. I was listening to a
lot of Luminations by Buffy St Marie. It’s all about witchcraft.
It’s really hard to find and it’s really political too. It informed
this idea of writing a call-and-response song with myself, which
ended up being ‘Fire Low.’”
The political overtones are definitely present on this album.
“One of my favourite lines on the whole album is in ‘Love
song’ — ‘sweeping floors to keep the rich clean’ — Cause I
was literally cleaning the mansions of rich people. Sweeping
their Louis Vuitton bags out of the way. Sitting in their marble
bathtub writing this song.”
Fans of Vancouver’s now defunct Mu will most certainly
like Rand’s solo endeavor, as she was a co-creator of the act
before her bandmate Francesca Belcourt moved to the United
Kingdom. This is her same brand of electro-pop, but different.
“The difference for me is this is my experience. It isn’t veiled,
it’s exposing and honest,” Rand says of the song writing. There
really is no veil here. It’s all out there. Lyrically presenting abuse,
gas lighting and mental health, all supplemented by an edge
and a sense of urgency and fun that will keep you dancing.
A Furnace, A Fire is one of those albums that will contribute
to giving Vancouver’s music scene its cool and cutting edge
demeanor. Expect great things from Cherrie Laurel in 2019.
A Furnace, A Fire will be released on all streaming platforms
January 2019.
28
January 2019

MUSIC
THE CRYSTAL METHOD
FINDING THE BALANCE THAT BRINGS EVERYTHING TOGETHER
JAMIE GOYMAN
The ’90s were thick with the buzzing underbelly
of the electronic music scene bubbling up into
mainstream culture with acts like The Chemical
Brothers, Fatboy Slim and the Prodigy leading
music charts worldwide.
Photo by Graham John Bell
Scott Kirkland has reimagined The Crystal Method as a solo moniker following the retirement of Ken Jordan.
Making waves of their own was The Crystal
Method, formed out of Las Vegas between two
friends, Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, creating a
lasting impression with their first release, Vegas,
which captured the energy and music stylings of
the time the two had helped create, and went on
for five more album releases.
Fast-forward more than 20 years, Kirkland has
adopted The Crystal Method as a solo moniker,
finding his footing in the new studio layout with
the question of what the future has in store for
him.
“I had those moments of a little apprehension,”
says Kirkland. “Wondering if I was going to do a
different act or do The Crystal Method form. I
listened back through the years at the albums and
got kind of wrapped up in some of the processes
we would use in those early years, not knowing
what we were doing, just making music for
nobody but ourselves.”
Taking that steam from the very beginnings,
Kirkland has reinvented The Crystal Method
into where he is today with his own creative
exploration, keeping himself open to the process
while working with collaborators who bring their
differences to the studio.
The latest release, The Trip Home, had Kirkland
working with many talented names who all laid
their own influence out on the table, aiding in
creating an album that demands to be played from
start to finish.
“I thought, do something organic that tells
a story,” says Kirkland. “Music is sometimes the
balance that brings everything together, the
score or back story to everybody’s daily existence.
There are sometimes so many different narratives
going on in someone’s head that you just need
something that brings you in and lets you go at
the same time. Let’s you find your way through
the day.”
This new album has the uncanny ability to do
just that, the way “The Drive Inside” and “Chapter
One” come together is captivating, pulling
listeners into the ethos created alongside Teflon
Sega’s liquefied vocals. The idea of building off
the embers of the previous track in cue – creating
a story, is prevalent through the album and can
be felt with the chaotic disassembly of “Ghost
in the City” dissolving into the combustible and
aggressive sounds that kickoff “Turbulance,”
showing that sequence is key in the process for
Kirkland. The Trip Home is a series of segues built
to captivate listeners while bringing them on a
non-stop ride full of talent built to make magic.
“[Collaborations on the album] brought this
humanity that I wanted to find. I wanted to hear
something that is and hard to put your finger
on. It’s humanity, it’s life experience, it’s soul, it’s
a combination of do you believe what they’re
singing and does it make you want to hear more.
The great magic of music is that connection it
makes with people and its continuation through
the years. It’s one of the beautiful things I’ve always
enjoyed about music.”
Keeping that positive light well lit above him
Kirkland is set to continue pushing forward in the
new direction he has been working toward the
last two years and shows no hint of slowing down
anytime soon. Filled with that perfect amount of
passion and drive to continue in an industry that
chews up and spits out more names then can be
remembered, Kirkland has found that perfect
balance between embracing where the music
came from and working towards where he sees it
in the future.
“For me this was really just embracing the core
of what the band was all about,” says Kirkland.
“The youthful enthusiasm that brought us
through the years of touring and grinding it out
and believing in ourselves; I think the album is an
adult version of that. It’s confident, comfortable,
and contributes in a positive way to the things
that go on in everyone’s life. The distance that’s
there, the ups and downs, pressures of what goes
through their lives kind of solidifies the fact that
we’re all going through the same shit and we’re in
this together and will get through it one way or
another.”
Avid listeners keep your head up as Kirkland has
confirmed that his second album, The Trip Out, is
looking to see a release date near the end of 2019.
The album is meant to be a continuation of what
he visited in The Trip Home while featuring a lot of
the same collaborators.
The Crystal Method performs at the Imperial
(Vancouver) on January 12.
January 2019 29

BPM
CAUTIOUS CLAY
OVERNIGHT SUCCESS YEARS IN THE MAKING
JOEY LOPEZ
CLUBLAND
YOUR MONTH MEASURED IN BPMS
JOEY LOPEZ
Whatever your New Year’s resolutions may be, the one thing at the top of
your list should be more bumping and grooving to some of the funkiest
shows January has to offer. 2019 is here and what better way to break
in the New Year than to shake off the snow, dancing away those winter
blues and getting smothered in the warm embrace of some bone-rattling
bass.
MICK JENKINS
January 5 at Fortune Sound Club
One of the most underrated rappers in the business is coming to town
to tour his strongest releases yet, so you’re not going to want to miss this.
Get up close and personal with the Chicago-based rapper and let Mick
Jenkins take you on a tour of his mind with his powerful one-of-a-kind
lyricism.
NAO
January 12 at the Vogue Theatre
Have you ever craved for early 2000s nostalgia but with a touch of neofunk
to cater to your modern sensibilities? Well, English R&B artist NAO
is about to bring her self-proclaimed brand of wonky funk to the Vogue
Theatre. Satisfy the needs of your soul with some of these guaranteed
grooves.
88GLAM
January 16 at VENUE
Toronto-based hip-hop duo 88GLAM have only been around since 2017
and these cats are aiming to light-up VENUE with their fresh sound that’s
reminiscent of Drake’s OVO style with a touch of that southern trap that
we all know and love. Catch them before they blow up because it’s only a
matter of time before 88GLAM is on the tip of everyone’s tongues.
Joshua Karpeh forged a path and followed it until he got to where he wanted to be as Cautious Clay.
Joshua Karpeh, known professionally as Cautious Clay, has
made quick work of his dreams and made them into a reality.
Just last year, Clay was working in marketing for a real estate
agency, making beats in his Brooklyn home whom he shares
with 12 other people – embodying the true artist’s life
style – before making the leap into full-time producing and
songwriting. The decisions have proven fruitful as Clay has
been touring throughout North America all year, playing his
first show in early 2018 and is now preparing himself for a
series of headlining performances and festivals in 2019. With
the release of his debut EP, Blood Type, Clay has seemingly
found success over night. In reality, his success is a long time
coming, toiling away at music for most of his life, starting with
the flute.
“Alladin was my intro into playing the flute. I saw the snake
charmer and I was like ‘Oh my God, I totally want to be a snake
charmer now.’ I was just really into that idea and I think it
might have also been this artist Herbie Mann. My mom would
play a lot of Herbie Mann. He was a flute player. I was really
into it because it was jazz flute, but I’m always looking for new
things with music and trying to stay inspired by something.”
Never letting go of the inspiration that was born within him
at a young age, Clay stuck to the grind, honing his skills until he
was eventually ready to take it to the next level.
“There’s so much noise nowadays, it’s just cool that I can put
out music and get people’s attention. It’s cool that I can inspire
that organic sharing of my music and people are connecting
with it. It’s kind of surreal and I didn’t expect it happen so fast,
but I was prepared for it. I was confident in my ability and my
sound and I knew what I could do with it. I even played my
first show earlier this year and I’ve played about 34 shows since
30
then. It’s so interesting. The first couple shows were definitely
very informative for me, but now it’s just about my mood. If
I’m in a great mood I’m going to have the best show of my life
every night. I think I just have to be in a good mindset and
focused with my band on things. I feel like I’ve played in such a
variety in situations now and I feel a lot more comfortable on
stage. I’m just excited for my first headline thing.”
Clay’s humility has made him instantly likable. His
intelligence is apparent and he speaks like someone who
knows exactly what he’s doing. He forged a path and followed
it until he got to where he wanted to be. A source of this
aspect of him seems to come from his mother, someone who
believed in him from a young age and pushed him to excel. A
lot of Clay’s talents and successes appear to have been seeds
planted within him a long time ago. Six years ago, when he was
still performing as Josh Karpeh, working on beats and releasing
them on Soundcloud, he found himself collaborating with
future pop superstar Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’
Connel,
“That’s funny to me because I can’t believe some people
remember that. I guess we were tapping into something.
Great minds think alike, you know? They were just really cool
because they hit me up when they had just a small profile on
Soundcloud at the time and they were equally on their own
tip. I think they’re really incredible artists, so that’s a testament
to where our mindset was at the time.”
Cautious Clay has cocooned, making music beneath our
noses and is now spreading his wings to achieve great things.
Cautious Clay performs January 19 at the Fox Cabaret
(Vancouver).
MYKKI BLANCO
January 30 at Commodore Ballroom
When it comes to new experiences to change their perspectives, most
people disembark on month long journeys to Asia or Europe. That won’t
be the case for when Mykki Blanco comes to town at the end of the
month to completely blow your mind into a million pieces and open your
eyes wider than previously thought possible. This gender-fluid rapper is
unlike anyone else in the game and is going to fuck your shit right up with
a show that is certain to be unforgettable.
NAO
January 2019

WHITE UMBRELLA
GOOD VIBES ONLY
LYNDON CHIANG
Jeremiah Klein is fully prepared for singing in the rain on his psychedelic outing as White Umbrella.
I M U R
PREPARING FOR THE END OF THE BEGINNING
JOEY LOPEZ
White Umbrella is the psychedelic brainchild
of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Jeremiah
Klein. After collaborating with up and coming
local acts like Basketball and Evy Jane, Klein
has stepped out of his comfort zone by
independently releasing a self-titled album on
all major streaming platforms
Growing up in Canmore, BC, Klein reflected
on happy childhood memories with his uncle,
who he described as a hippy with long hair
and an avid horse racer. Second to that, Klein’s
uncle was a true fan of Rock and Roll, who
introduced him to the likes of household
names such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.
Klein even goes on to say, “This record is a
revisiting of what got me into music in the first
place.”
White Umbrella’s self-titled debut is an
ambitious 30-minute project, blending the
essence of psych rock with the unique style
of Klein’s slow-burning compositions. Tracks
like “Jocelyn” and “4am” feel a bit closer to
home for classic rock fans, as listeners will
definitely catch on to the influences of garage
rock instrumentations and Bob Dylan-esque
vocal deliveries. Conversely, Klein’s freedom
as a solo artist has given him the opportunity
to showcase reverb-heavy tracks like “Cut like
BPM
Water” and “Swans.”
The drop of White Umbrella has allowed
Klein to reflect on the independent release
process and his growth as a musician so far.
After writing songs for other artists in the past,
with labels that handled publicity, Klein has
come to appreciate the nuances of juggling
both the creative and promotional efforts
needed to build an audience alone. Now
that the album is out, he’s on the hunt for
musicians to help perform his work live.
Klein finds his inspiration from live
performance; particularly from female-fronted
bands like Uni and Sunflower Bean. “It really
feels like women are the ones keeping rock
‘n’ roll and live music alive.” It’s important to
note here that Klein is also a huge fan of @
SheShreds on Instagram. Admittedly, Klein
argues that live music is hard to make, and he
holds a soft spot for those who “update the
sound and keep it relevant”—exactly the same
reason why this album is so rewarding. White
Umbrella is familiar in instrumentation but
stays fresh with its tasteful structure, effects
and overall vibe.
White Umbrella’s new album is available now
on all major streaming platforms.
Vancouver neo-soul trio I M U R, consisting of
front woman Jenny Lea, Mikey Blige and Amine
Bouzaher, have just come off of a stellar release
of their latest EP Thirty33, a cathartic release of a
heavily emotional project that feels like a weight
lifted off their shoulders as they continue on their
upward trajectory toward world domination. But
as the clouds clear I M U R is faced with an even
bigger mountain to summit as they approach the
end of the beginning.
“We thought the hard part was going to be
releasing the EP, but the hard part is going to
be following it up,” says Blige, pondering the
aftermath of Thirty33, preparing himself and the
band for what’s to come and the reality of life
after the release of an acclaimed work of art. “I’m
relieved it’s out because now comes the fun part:
performing. We’ve done three shows since the
release party and it’s been amazing to hear how
the songs are making people feel. There’s been a
bit more of a cinematic approach to these songs,”
says Lea, her voice cushioned by relaxation; the
sense of relief radiates from her carried by a touch
of pride seen in parents watching their child
graduate. “It’s been crazy seeing all of the songs
off the EP do so much better than pretty much
every song we’ve released in the past has been
amazing. It was so scary. We went to Toronto and
only played the new songs. It went over better
than I think the old songs would have. It feels like
it’s connecting everywhere we take it,” says Blige,
sharing Lea’s sentiments. “We know how we’re
going to follow it up. We have ideas, but there’s
still so much work to be done. Right now, we’ve
set up this base camp before climbing Everest.
We know it’s going to hurt, but we’re excited to
climb.”
For the first time, I M U R feels like they
have made something that belongs to the
fans. Something their listeners have attached
themselves too and claimed ownership through
intense and deep connections, “It’s funny I was
thinking about this this morning, from Slow Dive
to Little Death it was a lot of Jenny’s songs with
production added on to it. But with Thirty33
it was a blend of production and song-writing
being done together with a focus on how people
are going to receive it. It’s everything learned
from the process of the last two releases put into
one big package and that’s been resonating with
people,” says Bouzaher.
I M U R have just returned from a tour of
India and are ready to take their journey to the
next level. Thirty33 has grown up and flown the
coop to live on its own out in the world for their
audience to enjoy and admire.
Thirty33 can be found on all streaming platforms.
Feelin’ free on the heels of their Thirty33 EP, I M U R are ready to take their journey to the next level.
January 2019 31

FILM
VANCOUVER SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
SHOWCASING TALENT IN THE INDUSTRY AND UNITING INDUSTRY PEERS
HOGAN SHORT
THIS MONTH IN FILM
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CINEMA
BRENDAN LEE
GENESIS 2.0
Travel north to the harsh, bleak country of Serbia where the wooly
mammoth once roamed, and be led on a path towards a not-so-distant
future. Oscar-nominated documentarian, Christian Frei, tells the story of
modern day mammoth hunters, whose lives revolve around the rush to
uncover fossils and carcasses that not only prove lucrative ventures, but
are helping provide answers to long sought after questions in the world of
science. (Jan. 2)
THE HEIRESSES
A middle-aged Italian woman loses everything amidst her husband’s
imprisonment on fraud charges and she’s quickly thrown from a life of
luxury into a life of relative normality as a taxi driver. From there, she
meets a younger woman. And as is expected, life continues to unfold.
(Jan. 16)
(L-R) VSFF co-director Marena Dix, board chair Kristyn Stilling and Zlatina Pacheva (also co-director) look to the stars.
Short films are perfectly designed to be watched during a
film festival — back-to-back. When they’re great, they tell
beautiful stories in moments. And when they’re not for you,
you only have to stay with it a little while longer and onto the
next one. Luckily there’s the Vancouver Short Film Festival
and co-director Marena Dix is excited to share just what to
expect from the VSFF and what they’re aiming to provide for
their Vancouver audience.
“Our ultimate goal is to connect short filmmakers to a
broader audience in order to grow the local film industry,”
Dix says.
During the two days of the festival there are an impressive
39 short films to see. The films must be under 40 minutes in
length and this year the festival received a record number of
submissions. Dix is confident the programming will appeal to
wide audience, especially with that much content.
“We have such a wide range of themes and genres. In one
screening, you might start with a comedy and end with a
suspenseful drama. The viewers can expect to laugh, cry and
question reality.” The variety of short films continues to grow
at the VSFF, offering audiences the best experience possible
every year. “We have added an additional screening on the
Friday to highlight Horror and Thriller filmmakers in our After
Dark Screening.”
Highlighting filmmakers is a key component of the VSFF
mission, which also gives the audience a unique chance to
interact with the creative people creating short film. “Usually
we have an 80 per cent filmmaker attendance rate for each
screening,” Dix says. “We love supporting BC talent and it’s
great when the audience can interact directly with them.”
As an audience member experiencing this festival for
the first time, Dix has some words of advice to make your
experience as rich as possible.
“See as much as you can and meet as many people as
you can. As a filmmaker myself, I find that festivals offer a
unique experience to meet fellow peers and find inspiration.
I have met lifelong friends and collaborators at film festivals,
including at the Vancouver Short Film Festival.”
The VSFF will be screening January 25 to 26 at the Vancity
Theatre (1181 Seymour). For more information visit www.vsff.
com
THE IMAGE BOOK
Jean-Luc Godard is known as one of the first true auteurs, the centerpiece
of French New Wave cinema in the ’60s and an all-time great. Nearly sixty
years since Breathless, Godard returns with an avant-garde collage in the
form of film-clips, paintings and music. It’s designed to be watched in a
living room, and it’s orchestrated in such a way so to move you. (Jan. 18)
THE WILD PEAR TREE
Turkish Filmmaker, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, follows up his 2014 Palm D’or
win with an atmospheric homecoming tale about an aspiring writer
who returns to his parents’ home in the countryside after years away at
university. The humble country life and all that come with it clash with
the son’s aspirations in this beautifully shot family drama. (Jan. 30)
THE HEIRESSES
32
January 2019

FILM
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
IN CONVERSATION WITH KIKI LAYNE
PATRICK MULLEN
“Of course, I just lost my shit,” laughs KiKi Layne,
recalling the moment Moonlight director Barry
Jenkins offered her the lead role in his new film If
Beale Street Could Talk. Layne plays Tish, a 19-yearold
woman who discovers she is pregnant shortly
after her lover Fonny (Canadian actor Stephan
James) is arrested for a violent rape he didn’t
commit. It’s Layne first role, and she’s a revelation
as the shy, reserved, and resilient Tish. Offscreen,
she’s a bubbly, outgoing, and outspoken delight.
Layne, speaking with BeatRoute at the Toronto
International Film Festival in September, credits
Jenkins and James for making her big screen debut
a breeze.
“I spent so much time investigating who Tish
was and Stephan spent so much time investigating
Fonny. Naturally, in doing that, you start to kind of
tap into that love that they have for each other,”
says Layne. “When we brought all of that work
together, it just blossomed.” Beale Street flows like
sweet jazz as the film cuts back and forth between
Tish and Fonny’s present-day predicament and the
early stages of their romance in 1970s Harlem. It’s
a slower, smoother love story than Moonlight, but
equally poetic.
As with Moonlight, Jenkins’ film demands
natural down-to-earth performances that anchor
the story in reality. Layne, who studied theatre
at DePaul University in Chicago, adds that her
theatrical roots helped with Beale Street’s longer
takes, like a memorable scene in which Fonny
brings Tish to their new loft and encourages her
to imagine their life together. The camera dances
around the young lovers as they move through
their invisible kitchen, pantomiming with the
appliances as they envision the future.
“I pulled from what I knew,” says Layne. “Theatre
was what I knew, and that’s what I brought to the
table. Barry knew how to direct me and show what
works for stage, but for film it can’t be that big or
it needs to be a little tighter – that technical part
you can only learn by doing.”
The star adds that If Beale Street Could Talk
had a special energy on set as the cast and crew
brought to life the novel by James Baldwin.
“From the people very high up to everybody
that was there on set every day knew how special
it was,” reflects Layne. “We knew it meant so much
to be bringing James Baldwin’s words to life and I
think it created this beautiful, supportive family
energy on the set.”
The actor finds it inspiring to be part of a new
generation of artists getting to tell their own
stories. “I’m not too concerned anymore about
asking for anything,” she says when probed on
what she hopes the industry will do moving
forward. “I want to see more people take control.
Whatever type of film you feel is missing from
Hollywood, don’t expect Hollywood to do it. You
figure out how to do it. We’re done asking.”
If Beale Street Could Talk is in select theatres now.
January 2019 33

MUSIC REVIEWS
DEERHUNTER
Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared
4AD
If a woman, man, human, or human-like creature
were to immerse themselves into the strange tidal
wave that was 2018, they’d be sure to emerge with
the heavy netting of the uncertain future, gooey
unknown substances put forth by the mainstream
media and an uncomfortable anxiety-forming itch
that closely resembles that of sea lice. If after taking a
long, hot and soapy shower, this being were to form
a band, name it Deerhunter and release an album
with the intent of recreating that tidal wave… you
might find yourself wondering why the heck they
thought the desert was the birthplace of the wave,
let alone the ocean. These are the feelings evoked
from listening to Why Hasn’t Everything Already
Disappeared, the latest Deerhunter album. With
an ocean of possibilities for the band, who hasn’t
released an album in four years, we are left instead
with a wading pool. You know, the kind where you
aren’t allowed to dive or else you’ll hit your head on
the bottom.
For fans in love with catchy guitar-driven
psychedelic rock and dreamy shoegaze, this isn’t
your new 2019 anthem. However, for fans married
to the more bizarre and experimental personalities
of Deerhunter, your strange container of sound
has arrived and it’s ready to take your ears on an
unexpected and avantgarde journey. This is a brand
new era of Deerhunter.
Beginning with the first song, “Death in
Midsummer,” you are greeted with a repetitive
harpsichord riff that sounds slightly like the
background music to some Shakespearean play – is
this why it’s called “Death in Midsummer”? Perhaps
we’ll never know, but what we do know is that the
repetitive nature and eventual blown out horn
sounds like a locomotive on acid. Ah, maybe this is
the sonic depiction of the Thomas the Tank Engine,
“Yellow Submarine”, Shakespearean hybrid cartoon
that was never made. Unfortunately in this case, it
wasn’t made for a reason. The album goes on in this
nature until about song number five, with “What
Happens to People?” This a closer match to its sonic
predecessors: dreamy, flowy, experimental and full of
wanderlust. If the album were to start here, it would
feel less confusing and more reflective of previous
albums, contributing to the cohesive essence of the
band. Instead, the first half has us confused as to
what era we are living in, breeding questions like:
Is “No One’s Sleeping” an unreleased track of The
Kinks’ recording session in 1977 Berlin? Could this
be the soundscape of another frightening Yoko Ono
performance piece?
Like a forgetful sun-drenched and dehydrated
surfer who has smoked too much weed, “Deerhunter
forgets the questions and makes up completely
unrelated answers directed at their non-existence.
It gets up, walks around, it records itself in several
strategic geographic points across North America. It
comes home, restructures itself and goes back to bed
to avoid the bad news.” While this may have been
intended to be a selling point in review, bad news is
bad news, and for a band with eight LPs under their
belt, there is no way to make finding your confused,
lost, red-eyed uncle sound like a sexy Friday night.
Coming from an ear in love with Deerhunter’s early
days, the album Microcastle in particular, Why Hasn’t
Everything Already Disappeared feels too far removed
from the band’s true essence. In replacement of a
cohesive concept album, we are left with something
that feels like a slightly disappointing goodie bag
of plastic toys from a children’s birthday party: not
nearly as mature or quality of a gift as hoped, but still
a gift nonetheless. This could have something to do
with the band’s recording process, which has shifted
from real vintage amplification to pure digitized
chrome, plugged straight into the mixing desk. Even
then, the guitars are an afterthought and there is a
clear shift in focus to electromechanical and synthetic
sounds. While the intention may have been to align
closer with the now electronic- and hip-hop-focused
music market, the album fails to feel relevant.
Encompassing the many unexpected moods
of a hormone saturated pre-teen, the album
bounces through eras of the known, while breeding
implanted memories and fake feelings of nostalgia.
“Detournement” speaks through analog robotic
tongues, greeting us with the words “Good morning
to Japan and the eastern sunrise over these majestic
cliffs and the vultures circling,” in a voice that belongs
in an ‘80s sci-fi. While the memory of a visit to this
robotic dreamland may be about as real as Conan
O’Brien’s new Japanese family, we are left feeling
we were there: a point in which we push these
theoretical falsehoods onto the first half of the album,
zapping ourselves into a new dimension where we
can pretend it didn’t happen. Here in this other
dimension, “Futurisim” resorts all hope. A song that
holds the much-needed sameness of an expected
Deerhunter sound, encouraging us to take off our
seatbelts and arrange ourselves, in comfort, to the
new Deerhunter. “Futurism” carries a very shoegaze/
surfer-rock quality, overwhelmingly reminiscent to
that of “Agoraphobia” off of Microcastle. This is the
moment your strange, dehydrated and red-eyed
uncle returns to reality, clearing all questions of
insanity with a tall glass of water.
“Futurism” exclaims “your cage is what you make it,
if you decorate it,” and while this may be true about
life, it’s hard to decipher the strange sonic decorations
and true thematic intention of Why Hasn’t Everything
Already Disappeared. We are instead left feeling a
little bit like Siri made a playlist based off algorithms
on a shared computer – but maybe that in itself is
a perfect representation of the modern age and,
ultimately, a perfect sonic depiction of the tidal wave
that was 2018.
• Jamila Pomeroy
• Illustration by Kyle Hack
34
January 2019

Altameda - Time Hasn’t Changed You Beirut - Gallipoli Bob Sumner - Wasted Love Songs Cherry Glazerr - Stuffed & Ready
ALTAMEDA
Time Hasn’t Changed You
Pheromone Recordings
Poised for a breakout year, Altameda’s sophomore
full-length sees the band dialing in a sound that
has a lot of appeal. There’s a certain objective
taste that hears rock n’ roll as good songs with a
standard instrumental lineup of guitar, keys, bass,
and drums, and Time Hasn’t Changed You churns
with elements of all the bands that made that
the default setting for rock music, whether The
Heartbreakers, The Band or The Rolling Stones.
Kicking off with the greasy guitar and keys
on “Bowling Green,” Altameda presents a more
driving vibe than their 2016 debut, Dirty Rain.
“Losing Sleep” punches in with punk rock energy, a
blast of rave-up giddiness with a whoohoo refrain
that’s hooky as hell, along with tuneful gang vocals
running throughout the cut. It’s a likely shaker,
the kind of number that kicks your heels up for
you. “Rolling Back To You” lives in some wild space
near Springsteen’s Born To Run, and you get the
feeling the band’s well-aware of the vibe they’re
laying down with the line “And I wanna tell you,
just how I feel, I ain’t tryin’ to reinvent the wheel.”
The title track comes in near the end of the record,
with a ’70s AM radio feel, while “Waiting On The
Weather” goes back to spazzy rock n’ roll energy
before closing out the record.
Altameda’s put the work in to get the sound of
classic rock n’ roll just right, and there’s a lot to like
about Time Hasn’t Changed You.
• Mike Dunn
BEIRUT
Gallipoli
4AD
Beirut frontman, Zach Condon comes out
cymbals crashing with Beirut’s fifth studio album.
Gallipoli was recorded in Southern Italy and
receives its name from an Italian town Condon
and his bandmates visited during recording.
Often times mesmerizing, Gallipoli more
closely resembles Beirut’s first two albums,
Gulag Orkestar and The Flying Cup rather than
Condon’s more recent work. This resemblance is
in part due to the large presence of the organ on
which Condon wrote all three albums but also
the return to the often-incomprehensible lyrical
style heard in his earlier work. An effective return
to Beirut’s Balkan folk-inspired, breakthrough
sound, Gallipoli distinguishes itself with eccentric,
screeching organ on the instrumental “On Mainau
Island” and the wonderfully wordless melodies
in “Varieties of Exile.” True to Beirut fashion, the
quirky instrumental and intricate Gallipoli has
the ability to transport the listener to a different
period in time. Gallipoli features a marvelous
medley of brass instruments, organ and Condon’s
hypnotizing melancholy vocals.
Along with the release of the single, “Gallipoli,”
Condon offers this fairy-tale-like reflection of how
the album’s first single came to be,
“We stumbled into a medieval-fortressed island
town of Gallipoli one night and followed a brass
band procession fronted by priests carrying a
statue of the town’s saint through the winding
narrow streets behind what seemed like the entire
town. The next day I wrote the song I ended up
calling ‘Gallipoli’ entirely in one sitting, pausing
only to eat.”
• Sheena Antonios
BOB SUMNER
Wasted Love Songs
Independent
Along with his brother Brian in The Sumner
Brothers, singer-songwriter Bob Sumner built his
reputation as one of Canada’s best underground
songwriters the old-fashioned way, logging
thousands of miles across Canada, playing bars,
coffee shops and living rooms. Sumner’s songs
have always been a bit dark, and his debut solo
effort, Wasted Love Songs, balances the heavier
themes with sunny, finger-picked acoustic guitar
and subtle production notes that allow his
conversational timbre to shine through the mix.
“Riverbed” is beautiful opener, feeling
somewhere between Willie Nelson and The War
On Drugs, with a chorus that begs to be sung
along with and beautiful instrumental harmony
between the pedal steel and electric guitar. “A
Thousand Horses” picks up the pace to an easy
mosey while Sumner’s ability to hang a beautiful
chorus in a tune becomes more apparent. He
lulls you in during the verses, before he drops an
achingly lovely melody line when the song picks
up. That ability would be for naught if it weren’t
for Sumner’s masterstroke, laying words into
those melodies with a painter’s precision; “All the
running of a thousand horses, tearing the prairies
apart, is but a murmur and a whisper compared to
the beating of my heart.” Not a single word goes
to waste while Sumner’s poetic minimalism tips
its cowboy hat to Hemingway. “My Old Friend”
waltzes to a gentle opening, before cranking the
volume like Crazy Horse, with a gritty guitar line
mildly reminiscent of Son Volt’s Straightaways.
Wasted Love Songs is an early contender for
2019. It has an easy, laid back feel that fits on the
highway or in any room in the house. Sumner’s
ability to channel the likes of Townes Van Zandt
and Willie Nelson while adding flourishes of
more contemporary alt-country ought to make
him a part of some serious conversations when
discussing standout Canadian roots artists.
• Mike Dunn
CHERRY GLAZERR
Stuffed & Ready
Secretly Canadian
Upon first listen it sounded like Cherry Glazerr
had a more mature sound on Stuffed & Ready.
Having gone on as a three piece after losing synth
player Sasami Ashworth (due to her working on
her solo career), it seemed like the extra space
in the mix was met kindly by the remaining
musicians. However, on following visits the album
becomes less courageous and more so a typical
festival-tailored indie rock piece aiming to please
an angsty teenage audience. Songs often being
too reminiscent of too many other poppy “punk”
rockers from the last five years.
Formulated rhythms and predictable
pauses and drops keep the listener from being
engaged or shocked. On top of the characterless
instrumentation, the lyrics lack depth. Although
they are sung melodically by Clementine Creevy’s
undeniably beautiful voice, they struggle to
engage the listener into the story being told.
Although there are songs like album opener,
“Ohio,” where Cherry Glazerr are undeniably on
point, or “Daddi,” where the lyrics do have some
backbone and subtle aggressiveness, overall, even
though Creevy has said an incredible amount of
time was spent creating it, Stuffed & Ready comes
across rushed & uninspired.
• Cole Young
THE DANDY WARHOLS
Why You So Crazy
Dine Alone
Something happens to people, and families, as
they age that pushes them to evolve or get left
behind. For a band entering their 25th year in the
biz, we should expect nothing less. They’ve done,
seen, and survived things. With Pete Holmström
and Brent DeBoer exploring solo projects (Pete
Intl Airport & Immigrant Union, respectively), one
might expect the family to drift apart, and lose
the fire of their early years. And yet the band still
shows up when dinner is ready. They hit familiar
territory with “Terraform”, a bass driven dance
number. Zia McCabe gets her time to rock out
with “Highlife”, a stompy ol’ country tune. Single
“Be Alright” boom-clacks its way into your ear just
fine, if just missing that certain something. “Thee
Elegant Bum” again hits that familiar groove,
almost. By the time they hit “Motor City Steel”
they’ve gone full 16 Tons and what do you get.
The Dandys likely won’t gain any new fans with
this effort but Why You So Crazy is not without its
charm. After all, crazy is better than boring.
• Chad Martin
FIDLAR
Almost Free
Dine Alone
For the most die-hard fans, FIDLAR – which stands
for “Fuck it dog life’s a risk” – is a band, a motto
and an ethos. Rather than become pigeonholed
in skate punk for fear of disappointing fans, the
Los Angeles four-piece has diversified their sound
since their eponymous LP and hit single “Cheap
Beer.”
That’s what their latest album Almost Free is
about. Frontman Zac Carper has said the album
was influenced by the aesthetics of Soundcloud
hip-hop, but opening track “Get Off My Rock” is
more Beastie Boys than Lil Pump.
“Can’t You See” is a departure from FIDLAR’s
usual sound with a piano solo and walking bass
line, while the satire on materialism is in keeping
with Carper’s lyrical style. “By Myself” also revisits
a familiar subject – drinking that teeters toward
self-destruction – with fresh percussive range.
“Too Real” is FIDLAR’s most explicitly political
song. Carper howls, “Well, of course the
government is going to fucking lie.” While much
of Too (2015) focused on Carper’s struggle with
addiction and sobriety, tracks like “Too Real” and
the Clash-esque “Scam Likely” prove he can write
as passionately about the political as he can the
personal.
Parts of Almost Free retread familiar territory.
“Alcohol” could fit on any FIDLAR album in sound
and subject. Blistering forty second track “Nuke”
has the intensity of underrated Too track, “Punks.”
“Called You Twice” is a surprise standout.
Carper’s vocals meet their match in a duet with
K.Flay about both sides of a messy breakup. It’s
warm, vulnerable – the album’s emotional core.
While Almost Free is less consistent than its
predecessors, the range it displays proves that
FIDLAR is far from finished.
• Courtney Heffernan
GIRLPOOL
What Chaos Is Imaginary
ANTI-
Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad have been
January 2019 35

FIDLAR - Almost Free Girlpool - What Chaos Is Imaginary Juliana Hatfield - Weird
jamming together since they were teenagers. It is no wonder then
that their music has matured dramatically and beautifully since
their gritty debut four years ago. Having moved from explosive
transparency into something subtler and more nuanced, Cleo and
Harmony still refuse to compromise honesty for harmony. New
album, What Chaos Is Imaginary, emerges more versatile and multidimensional
than ever.
Opening track “Lucy” sets the stage for the aural vastness and
poetic clarity that continues throughout the album, marking a shift
from the more journal-like forcefulness of past work. Songs like
“Stale Device” and “Where You Sink” then erupt into being, alluding
instrumentally to the ambiently energized shoegaze of the early
’90s. It becomes clear that this record will confront atmosphere in a
way the band hasn’t yet, and for the most part it keeps its promise.
“Hire” and “Swamp Bay” revisit old habits with freshness, ensuring
the band is still prepared to feel out loud. As always, they sing what
they mean, but confessionalism turns toward the more opaque
and abstract. Building fleshy, concrete worlds through surreal
metaphors, composite scenes, and circular symbolism, the writing
wrestles poetic possibilities with zeal.
The album’s unpredictability reflects the subject matter –
dissociation, intimate relationships, substances and the volatility of
the human mind. What Chaos Is Imaginary remains faithful to the
vulnerability that put Girlpool on the map in the first place, but
with a sensibility that there are a world of ways to pull it off.
• Safiya Hopfe
JULIANA HATFIELD
Weird
American Laundromat Records
Juliana Hatfield has always been on the fringe of the alternative
music scene, defining weird on her own terms. Her latest aptly titled
offering brings everything she’s never said before to the surface.
Feelings of being out of step with the world emanate from
the mellow track “It’s So Weird.” Between the sedate classic rock
influenced chord choices are stories of awkwardness and relations
that have gone sour over time, sung for all to hear like a big
celebration of the alienation.
This uneasy mellowness continues on “Sugar” as Hatfield croons
“Sugar, I hate your guts, Sugar I love you so much” as the acoustic
guitar picking seems to quote George Harrison’s “Here Comes the
Sun.”
Cleanliness is set-aside on “Alright, Yeah” where fuzzy glamrock
guitar playing pushes things to the edge of alternative rock
oblivion. Tongue biting anger and distrust bubbles underneath
her heart melting voice on “Paid to Lie,” summing up this album’s
self-restrained angst perfectly; that which makes it such a gloriously
tasty bitter pill to swallow.
• Dan Potter
KID KOALA
Music To Draw To: Io
Arts & Crafts
Rearranging the chemistry of the cosmos with a flick of his subtle
wrist, Kid Koala remains a master tastemaker and beat-breaker
with the invention of his new album, featuring soul singer Trixie
Whitley. The forerunning single “All For You,” with its accompanying
celestial video,sets a serene tone for the second installmentofthe
Music To Draw Toseries, conceived andlaunchedbythe noted DJ
and producer otherwise known as Eric San. Continuing where
Volume1: Satelliteleft of, Io is a voyage to Jupiterand back again
in eighteenambient tracks,or 70stellarminutes, however you
measure the space-time continuum. Recalling the orchestral
movements of Holst’sThe Planets, and the lysergic emanationsof
experimental composer and accordionist Pauline Oliveros’Deep
Listening, San’s musical meditation reveals itself one tremulous
note at a time. “Lost at Sea” in an ocean of stars, our Billy Pilgrim
pilot finds his Siren of Titanin the sultry R&B compass ofWhitley’s
interplanetary homesick blues. The jarred-head of Philip Glass and
a pantheon of mythological deities look on as theycircumnavigate
“The Moons of Galileo” and mine a hurtling meteorforits
lonely“DiamondHeart.”The future is not the enemy, the duo assures
on “Look-Back Time,” so turn up the speakers and let the vibrations
of Kid Koala’s universe be your astral guide and art instructor.
•Christine Leonard
LEMONGRAB
It Doesn’t Sound Good But It Feels Awesome
Independent
Montreal-based Lemongrab’s debut full-length is overflowing with
a spazzy and meandering hybrid of post punk and stoner rock.
Opening track, “Too Many Bitches,” is righteous and raunchy and by
the time we hit the “yayayayayaya” chorus of “Naked Ass Marimba,”
you can’t help but put your head down and party through it.
The most interesting songs sit in the middle of the album with the
opening of tracks like “Scratch” and “Last Night in Jose” being the
strongest of the bunch. Recorded in Montreal with Rene Wilson
(Michael Rault, Faith Healer), there is an outcry of energy captured
throughout the whole album that gives you the idea that this
band is definitely a lot of fun live. Their push-around melodies on
album single “Keep Door Open” will have you running in a circle
and shoving your friends in that playful way where everybody has
fun while Lenonie Deshaw and Zale Burley’s guitar work keeps the
arrangements melodic and steered away from coming across as
shrill or screechy. Included are a few tracks from the band’s 2016
EP, The One With The Brooms, re-recorded and presented here
in better developed arrangements, showing how this new band
has grown a lot in the last two years. With its sing-along choruses,
Lemongrab has put together a collection of songs even your mom
would love, if your mom was a teenager in Washington state in the
early ’90s.
• Jody Glenham
MAGGIE ROGERS
Heard it in a Past Life U
Capitol Records
American, singer-songwriter, Maggie Rogers released her single
“Alaska,” in October 2016. The song now holds 100 million
global streams to date and is the lead single off her new album,
Heard It In A Past Life. While Rogers’ previous work was released
independently, her new full-length album is her major label debut.
A new caliber of pop music, Heard it in a Past Life is cathartic,
captivating and consistent; an extraordinary album that strives from
start to finish. Rogers’ sound is the result of a desire to combine
the folk music she heard growing up in Maryland with the dance
music that later influenced her while living in France. Up-tempo for
the most part, Heard it in a Past Life often stays true to the layered
sounds, folk melodies and pop style of “Alaska,” while tracks like
“Say It” offer range by possessing a sound reminiscent of ’90s R&B.
Rogers’ transcendent vocals belt out thought-provoking lyrics with
the album having an overall lyrical theme of reminiscing, revival and
letting go of resentment.
Alongside the release of Heard it in a Past Life, Rogers will be on
tour throughout North America and Europe in the New Year.
• Sheena Antonios
MONO
Nowhere Now Here
Temporary Residence Limited
2019 marks twenty years for Japanese noise kaiju MONO. That’s
two hard fought decades of crashing through post-rock landscapes
and performing their charismatic symphonies in temples of sonic
worship around the world. If you’ve experienced the muscleliquefying
might of their live presence then your ecstasy is about
to be redoubled with the release of the latest opus by electroglockenspielist/guitarists
Taka (akaTakaakira Goto) and Yoda (aka
Hideki Suematsu). Technicians of the supernatural, theoutfit’s rockinfused
orchestral compositions have an ethereal yet willful lifeforce
alltheir own. The organic rhythms introduced by the addition of
new drummer Dahm Majuri Cipolla (The Phantom Family Halo)
adds a very physical heartbeat to the center of MONO’s boundless
imagination. Lyrical novels “Breathe” and the10-minutetitle track
surgeheadlonginto the stony towers of “After You Comes the Flood”
andfearsomethunder of “Meet Us Where the Night Ends.” If you’ve
ever admired the more cinematic elements of powermetal with
its medieval flourishes and magnificent tangents, but cringe at the
36
January 2019

UPCOMING SHOWS
NAO
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
JANUARY 12
VANCITY COMEDY EXTRAVANGANZA
DINO ARCHIE, DAVE MERHEJE + MORE
JANUARY 4
BERT KREISCHER
BODY SHOTS WORLD TOUR
JANUARY 13
AARON PRICHETT
WITH KIRA ISABELLA AND DAVID JAMES
JANUARY 15
PETER MURPHY
RUBY CELEBRATION FEATURING DAVID J
JANUARY 19
JEREMY HOTZ
DANGEROUSLY HANDSOME TOUR
JANUARY 25
PANCHO VILLA FROM A SAFE DISTANCE
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
JANUARY 31
RICHARD THOMPSON
(ELECTRIC TRIO) WITH RYLEY WALKER
FEBRUARY 6
CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR!
“DANCING QUEEN” THE ABBA EXPERIENCE
FEBRUARY 7
DAN MANGAN
MORE OF LESS TOUR
FEBRUARY 12
SOLD OUT!
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT VOGUETHEATRE.COM

Swervedriver - Future Ruins The Twilight Sad - It Won/t Be Like This All The Time Toro Y Moi - Outer Peace
over-the-top vocals –order up an earful of the paradoxically mute
MONO. It’llbe the best thing you’ve never heard.
•Christine Leonard
PEDRO THE LION
Phoenix
Polyvinyl Record Co.
Pedro the Lion are back! Fifteen years have passed since Achilles
Heel, the band’s fourth and last full length release. This is not to say
that founding member David Bazanhas been sitting on his ass. The
Seattle-based musician has released a number of solo projects over
the years while Pedro... has been sleeping. Now awoken, they return
with Phoenix.Pedro the Lion always seemed like a solo project with
a swinging door of guest musicians (24 to be exact), the likes of
Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie having once laid their mark
with Bazan. And so in this latest carnation, Pedro the Lion have
produced a wonderfully upbeat indie rock record in Phoenix, a
little more brazen and urgent then their previous output. “Yellow
Bike” sets the scene after the instrumental and aptly named opener,
“Sunrise.”There are classic Pedro moments, with the slow moving
folky lo-fi sounds that were so common in their previous output.
“Circle K” and “All Seeing Eye” reflect this, but what is strikingly
different is the more open tone and uplifting sound of Bazen’s
voice, even as he covers dark themes of his life, he finds a brightness
in his delivery.Standout tracks include “My Phoenix” and “Model
Homes,” but Phoenix overall is a great return from a band many of
us probably thought we’d never hear again.
• Adam Rogers
SWERVEDRIVER
Future Ruins
Dangerbird Records
Swervedriver have been making edgy sound waves for decades,
but until just a few years ago had almost disappeared completely.
When they released I Wasn’t Born To Lose You (2015), things
started picking up and their legendary, mythical proportions
started returning to people’s minds as the band started touring
again. Now they have another, Future-Ruins, which, as the dystopian
title suggests, leads the listener on a journey into a place and time
of disjuncture and dark fates. Though in the first song, “Mary
Winter,” Adam Franklin sings, “I’m never comin’ back,” it seems they
have. They have traded some of their heaviness for more modern,
spectacular architectures of instrumentals. They continue to amaze
with their usual complex arpeggios, bended notes and shimmering
guitar strains. Swervedriver have always talked or sung about
“space-travel” and in this song, he sings, “My feet won’t touch the
ground.” In “The Lonely Crowd Fades In The Air,” Franklin sings, “so
we stumble into the end of days/where the future comes to cry/so
choose your colors wisely/’cause things ain’t the same as in times
gone by.”
Their undulating and circular vocal and instrumental lines are
reminiscent of a surrealist’s film mis-en-scene. They do continue to
sing about rocket fuel and an engine, which follows the propulsive
force of their earlier efforts, like Raise and Medical Head. Their
music has mellowed from the force of its sound in the ’90s, so those
looking to take in the new sound should expect something with
more dreamy complexity, than razor-edged and honed wit and
darkness.
• Keir Nicoll
THE TWILIGHT SAD
It Won/t Be Like This All The Time
Rock Action Records
In 2016, the Cure’s Robert Smith named the Twilight Sad as one
of his favourite bands. He personally picked them to support the
Cure on all their recent world tour dates, and there’s no question as
to why. The Twilight Sad write some of the most compelling, dark
and depressing music out there. Their name describes their sound
perfectly.
It Won/t Be Like This All The Time is the Twilight Sad’s fifth
studio album and their first release with Mogwai’s Rock Action
Records. It’s without a doubt their strongest and most cohesive
project to date.
One of the standout tracks, “The Arbor,” is a particularly
haunting post-punk offering that features wailing, ghostly synths
that sound like the chatter of spirits in a cemetery. On this album
the band also delivers their signature wall of sound on tracks like
“Auge Maschine.” It opens with a swirling, intoxicating layer of hazy
glide guitar that fluctuates in and out of pitch. By blending together
the strong suits of all their previous work, the Twilight Sad come
through with an absolutely fantastic record that offers something
familiar yet very refreshing.
• Robann Kerr
TORO Y MOI
Outer Peace
Carpark Records
Outer Peace is the eighth studio album from Toro Y Moi. ABRA,
WET and Instupendo, all friends of mastermind Chaz Bear, are
featured on the album. With every listen of Outer Peace comes a
deeper understanding of Bear’s message and stylistic vision.
On the surface, Outer Peace is a fun and quirky basement jam
session, while at a closer look Bear alludes to some deeper issues
including climate change, consumerism and debt. Funky bass lines
and sci-fi inspired samples create a disco-like feel for the album as
a whole.
Recorded in the Bay area, Bear considers it somewhat of a
homecoming album and has allowed himself a more playful
approach to song making than what we saw on his last album,
Boo Boo. Autotune is used extensively throughout the album and
at times you can hear the presence of xylophone. Outer Peace is
unpredictable, groovy and original.
• Sheena Antonios
SHARON VAN ETTEN
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar
Sharon Van Etten has been a busy human since the release of her
critically acclaimed 2014 release, Are We There. With the birth of
her first child, a move into acting as Rachel in the Netflix drama,
The OA, an appearance in David Lynch’s reboot of Twin Peaks and
scoring her first feature film, Strange Weather, it’s clear Van Etten’s
sonic palette has expanded into new territory. And by goodness,
it’s what makes Remind Me Tomorrow such a beautiful thing to
behold.
You’d be forgiven in thinking that as the piano chords chime in
on album opener, “I Told You Everything,” that you’re listening to
the direct follow-up to Are We There. In discography terms it is, but
the similarities are shattered when the electro beats of track two,
“No One’s Easy To Love,” kick in.
The atmospheric and drony sounds she employs throughout
the following eight tracks (fuelled by producer John Congleton)
are far ranging and, at times, down right eerie. But there is always
an upbeat feel to even the moodiest of tracks. “Memorial Day,”
“Comeback Kid” and “Seventeen” shine bright like no other Van
Etten tracks of days gone past. The whole record is absolutely
mesmerizing.
Van Etten is a truly remarkable artist. 2019 hasn’t even really got
going yet, but we clearly already have a contender for album of the
year.
• Adam Rogers
WARBLY JETS
Propaganda EP
Rebel Union Recordings
The dream of the ’90s is alive in Warbly Jets’ new EP, Propaganda.
With knob-turning, air horn squealing Brit rock swagger, this short
sampling of tunes is reminiscent of the Chemical Brothers and
Oasis, which makes sense seeing how the band spent a good chunk
of 2018 on the road, touring as the opening act for Liam Gallagher.
“No Allegiance” could waltz into the Snatch soundtrack without
a ticket, and you can’t help but get jazzed by the chorus of “Kill Kill
Kill” in “Cool Kill Machine.” Reminds one of the film Tank Girl and
the time when we still felt like we had time to reclaim our water and
avoid a dystopia. But now, as we strive to survive this tortured era,
these mean bangers will do just fine in calming the itch.
As Warbly Jets shake off the Dandy Warhols bop of their former
work in favour of some mean and sexy fare, we can all rest easy in
the choice to do the same in our shattered hearts.
• Jennie Orton
January 2019 39

LIVE
Photo by Zee Khan
Photo by Zee Khan
Photo by Zee Khan Photo by Zee Khan Photo by Zee Khan
BREAKOUT FEST W/ LIL UZI VERT, PLAYBOI
CARTI, KILLY, PRESSA, VALEE AND MORE
Pacific Coliseum
December 14, 2018
Three phenomenons in life are meant to be
experienced first hand: birth, death and Breakout
Festival. Breakout is Canada’s only bi-annual,
all hip-hop music festival (No EDM allowed!)
This winter, the festival was held at PNE’s Pacific
Coliseum and boasted Lil Uzi Vert as its headliner.
The stage was broken in by local Soundcloud
acts, including Yurmsauce, Rude Nala and AC,
though the butter-smooth delivery, dynamic stage
show and ardent crowd reception distinguished
Illyminiachi as the most promising Vancouver
artist in attendance.
Killumantii shook everyone out of their
Illyminiachi-induced daze with razor sharp bars
and here-to-fuck-shit-up attitude. G.O.O.D.
Music’s Valee graced the stage while enjoying
some of that legal. Last minute addition Pressa
was a last minute addition to the lineup, catching
a good chunk of the audience by surprise. The
Toronto rapper later came out to perform “420 in
London” alongside Uzi.
The moment Killy came on, the floodgates
were opened. Mosh pits started to bloom in the
crowd to the bone-rattling beat, commencing
survival of the fittest through natural selection.
He had the audience in the air with “Doomsday”
and “Distance,” and had everyone on the chorus of
“No Sad, No Bad”
On the subject of immediate danger, Carti’s set
was prefaced by a bright green nuclear warning.
The “Magnolia” rapper pounced onto the stage,
as masses swarmed to the floor of the coliseum,
and in pure Carti tradition, maintained that same
energy throughout the entire set.
Then Carti was gone, and music came to a halt.
Tension was reaching a crescendo, and the crowd
was becoming restless, as murmurs carried over
the pulsing lights.
“He’s not showing up.” “Wasn’t he banned from
Canada?” “Watch them send Killy on again.”
Skepticism was at an all time high, as everyone
seemed to debate “will he/won’t he”. Then all at
once, it stopped. Uzi was here. If it had not before,
all hell broke loose.
The moment he stepped on, the energy
exploded. The wait proved to be well worth it
with the thousands of voices on “Bad and Boujee”
and “XO Tour Llif3.”
Despite being the favourite punching bag
of any hip-hop purist, Lil Uzi Vert has peaked
in popularity, largely due to his nonconformist
approach to genre.
By breaking the pre-established framework
and repackaging rap, punk and emo to fit the
mainstream, Uzi single-handedly achieved mass
appeal and changed the rap game. This very
approach put the rapper at the vanguard of the
music world and made him the crowned prince
of the burgeoning punk rap movement, not
without raising a sea of eyebrows along the way.
Love it or hate it, Lil Uzi Vert’s innovative sound
and presence made him a celebrated lepper and a
quintessential artist of this generation. That much
was evident that night.
The vehemence of unattended youth is
manifested and contained within a 7-hour sensory
kaboom. Inhibition fades as communication
becomes purely kinetic everywhere you look.
Whether in bathrooms, where girls delicately
hold each other’s hair over toilet bowls; or in
pits, where bodies thrash till they bruise blue and
strangers kiss and grope with teeth flying above
their heads.
Anything can happen at Breakout.
• Maryam Azizli
40
January 2019

Photo by Darrole Palmer
KURT VILE
Commodore Ballroom
December 16, 2018
On tour with his latest album, Bottle it in, Vile
played to an overly eager sold out crowd at
the Commodore. Floating amongst Christmas
lights on the balcony, lurked a warmth parallel
to a family gathering during the holidays. The
set of Kurt Vile matched in intimacy, radiating
smiles and encouraging hand-holding from
spectators through a spectacular set.
Beginning with songs like “Loading Zones,”
off of his latest album, Vile graced the stage in
a red plaid flannel and matching red guitar. His
long, loose, curly brown hair fell as he swayed;
just about as flowy and breezy as his music.
Combing through the crowd, you would be
more than likely to spot fans replicating his
LIVE
look - something with an air of the 70’s- rock n’
roll and free love.
For long-time fans who’ve witnessed Vile
perform in his early days, it was clear there is
a new level of sonic maturity. It’s beyond clear
that the name, Kurt Vile, will be the “Johnny
Cash” of our time; only instead of all black like
Cash, it will be flannel, vintage-chic as an ode.
Vile performed with a calmness and
nonchalant demeanor, making the show feel
as though concert goers were privy to a high
caliber weekly jam session. This was not a
show put on for the sake of performance, but
a display of viles heart, and often, moments
of creative purity. While the weather outside
may have been cold and rainy, his performance
radiated the warmth of a coveted summer
campfire.
• Jamila Pomeroy
ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE IMPOSTERS
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
December 4, 2018
No malignant cancer scares or tickles of the throat
were going to prevent transplanted hometown hero,
Elvis Costello, from performing a marathon show this
past Tuesday evening at Downtown’s Queen Elizabeth
Theatre. Currently on tour in support of his latest,
highly acclaimed new album, Look Now, Costello and
his band of Imposters played a nearly three hour set
that maybe went on too long for some of the fatigued
and heavily perfumed baby boomers, but wowed diehards
and new fans of his dense catalogue.
New tracks like “Burnt Sugar is so Bitter,” and “Don’t
Look Now,” held their own alongside classic bangers
like “This Year’s Girl, and “Watching the Detectives,
offering a consistent set that tested the ferocity of
his voice, and also the buttons of his snug outfit.
Costello, never one to be immediately heralded for
his understated guitar chops, shred his signature
Jazzmaster erratically, walloping the audience with
grungy interludes throughout the evening. But Good
Guy Costello never overshadowed his insanely tight
band, specifically virtuoso keys smasher Steve Nieve
whose focused demeanour never broke, or missed a
single note.
On the surface of his tunes, Costello presents a
playful persona of pop oriented punk and reggae
fused hits, but beneath is a lingering misery that is
bubbling up as he ages. He even called out his O.G.
New Wave followers for never fully absorbing his
lyrical mysticism back in the day, but understanding it
more now with increasing wear and tear of their skin
and bones.
Going through Elvis Costello’s immense discography
can be a daunting task, but Tuesday night offered an
eclectic vignette of his past works, collaborations and
life experiences. He’s a genuinely funny and solid dude,
with a likely huge arsenal of Dad jokes…but it might
be time to let a few stitches out of those trousers.
• Jeevin Johal
Photo by Greg Noire
Photo by Tom Paille
CHILDISH GAMBINO
Rogers Arena
December 7, 2018
“This isn’t a concert, this an experience.” On
his recent tour as Childish Gambino, Donald
Glover stood shirtless in front of 12,000+ at
Rogers Arena and informed the crowd that
they are about to be taken to church. The
triple-threat performer would prove himself
throughout the night that he was serious
about his opening statement.
Gambino’s This is America tour had quite
the production with dancers, a live band and
stunning light shows, leaving his devoted
flock in awe all night. Whether it was sitting
in the crowd singing “Stand Tall” or rapping
during “IV. Sweatpants,” Glover had the
crowd wrapped around his finger throughout
the show. The former Community star would
even showcase his acting skills, urging the
audience to get louder for an encore during
a behind the scenes live video with his stage
manager once he stepped off stage.
It may have been Childish Gambino’s
last show in Vancouver, but after playing a
new song titled “Human Sacrifice,” all signs
point to him continuing his career as Donald
Glover, which should relieve many. The
master performer creatively engaged with
his congregation until the lights of Rogers
Arena went on. Even during the final song
of the night, “Redbone,” Glover was on the
floor right in front of anyone who was lucky
enough to get floor seats.
Gambino was not lying when he said
this was going to be an experience. He
managed to make you feel like you’d never
seen anything like this in your life. He truly
did take Vancouver to church and give us a
religious experience.
• Darrole Palmer
January 2019 41

NEW MOON RISING
YOUR MONTHLY HOROSCOPE
QUAN YIN DIVINATION
MONTH OF THE FIRE TIGER
This year starts with a healthy dose of
heat, bringing a busy and hectic start
to an otherwise relaxed and laid back
year. The Fire Tiger helps pave the way
for the arrival of the Earth Pig’s year,
as these two signs are best of friends.
And although they can work well
together, there is also a destructive
and sometimes drastic energy that can
brew beneath the surface, depending
on the context. This month will pull
on the sentimental heart strings of all
good Tigers and Pigs, and can bring
irrevocable changes with irreversible
consequences. January will need to
be handled with care, if you are in the
Tiger’s lair!
Rabbit (Pisces): Dreaming of spring
and planning for your next adventure
will give you the stamina to survive the
last few harsh weeks of winter. You may
feel more delicate and sentimental now,
so take refuge in quiet places with artful
companions.
Dragon (Aries): Outings with friends,
club nights, and expensive toys keep
you focused on the bright side of life,
while your active mind and keen talent
will be inspired to create. You’ve got
energy now to work hard, play hard,
and leave others basking in your glory.
Snake (Taurus): Appreciation works
both ways. In order to attract the
acclaim you deserve, you’ll need to offer
other people recognition for their skills
and talents too. Give praise where it is
due, and doors will open now, on a road
paved with gratitude.
Horse (Gemini): Find the courage to
stand up for what you believe is right.
There is more at stake than just the
small stuff – battles fought now can
save you from a pending war down the
road.
Sheep (Cancer): Think things through
carefully and evaluate any actions that
don’t fall in line with your good morals
and strong values. Meditation and quiet
introspection can provide the answers
you seek – go inward and listen to your
inner voice.
Monkey (Leo): Proceed with caution
and remember to take things one step
at a time. An over-zealous attitude or
strategic plan may backfire if the timing
isn’t right. Carefully plan your next steps
and be sure to anticipate how other’s
may react to it.
Rooster (Virgo): Your reputation soars
now and it’s a perfect time to make an
announcement, receive an award of
recognition, or reach out to your crowd
to let people know a bit more about
you.
Dog (Libra): Keep your eye on the
goal and make good use of your time,
but don’t over-do it. Less effort and
more planning can prevent burn out
and conserve your energy for when
it’s needed. Take it easy – some things
can definitely wait, so why not just
procrastinate?
Pig (Scorpio): Spontaneous rewards
arrive out of a care free and ‘laissezfaire’
attitude. There is wisdom in the
path of non-action. Keep your word, be
on time, and stay open to the possibility
of everything working out just fine.
Rat (Sagittarius): Step outside your
routine. Travel to a place you’ve never
been to restore your optimism and
curiosity. Make plans to go solo, and
refresh yourself by exploring creative
interests, and take in the best in
entertainment.
Ox (Capricorn): It is possible that you
don’t have the whole story and it might
look quite different when it comes to
light. Some secrets are best kept and it
might be better now if you don’t ask, or
just don’t tell. Stay present, quiet, and
keep your lips sealed.
Tiger (Aquarius): Superficial
connections may inspire your dreams
of a different life. Look before you leap,
as what you find now may only be skin
deep.
Susan Horning is a Feng Shui Consultant
and Bazi Astrologist living and working
in East Vancouver. Find out more about
her at QuanYin.ca.
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January 2019

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MAD CADDIES
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TRACYANNE & DANNY
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