CBC.ca | Manitoba Scene

JP Hoe launches rooftop summer concert series at the WAG

2013-06-19T09:00:23Z

JP Hoe likes to surround himself with art. Literally. On June 20 he opens the Winnipeg Art Gallery's Live on the Rooftop music series.

"I love this venue," he says. "I'm excited to see what it's like to play on a rooftop. It'll be like The Beatles."

Hoe, who was nominated for several Western Canadian Music Awards on June 18, will be performing with his full band, including violin and cello. "I'm a sucker for strings. They're spectacular. They add a real nice elegance and texture to the music," he says.

Hoe also recorded an unplugged version of his song "Conversation" in the foyer of the WAG with violinist Krisjanna Oleson and cellist Julian Bradford. "We thought visually it was an interesting place to do it, with the high ceilings and all the limestone.

]]> JP Hoe likes to surround himself with art. Literally. On June 20 he opens the Winnipeg Art Gallery's Live on the Rooftop music series.

"I love this venue," he says. "I'm excited to see what it's like to play on a rooftop. It'll be like The Beatles."

"From an audio perspective we love the natural reverb that was in the room. Because we weren't plugged in we wanted to try and make it sound as lush and as rich as possible. That room is incredible."

Hoe is a big fan of the visual arts. "My first important experience was at the Louvre when I was 16, and looking at this giant tableau called The Coronation of Napoleon. I remember that was one of the first times that I stared at a painting and forgot where I was. I could only hope to write music that affects folks in the same way."

Recently Hoe was immersed in art when he was invited to perform on an expedition in the Arctic as part of a cultural exchange. It was a tour for art lovers that took him to several isolated communities to explore the local art, and he was joined on the ship by Inuit sculptors and painters.

"It was incredible to watch them do their thing. I've always been so impressed with people who have the ability to evoke emotion with a piece of art."

That experience inspired him to write "Deliberate," which will be one of the songs on his set list for Live on the Rooftop.

JP Hoe performs on the WAG rooftop June 20. A barbecue catered by Storm Bistro is available as well as a cash bar.

Live on the Rooftop takes place on selected Thursdays through the summer. The other featured artists include Manitoba Opera on July 4, Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra on August 8, Jodie Borlé on August 15 and blues man Big Dave McLean on August 29.

Manitoba musicians rack up Western Canadian Music Award nominations

Manitoba butterflies grace pages of new book

2013-06-19T08:03:07Z

Did you know there are over 100 different species of butterflies in Manitoba?

Seven years ago author, artist and journalist Simone Hébert Allard set out to combine science and anecdotal information to create a thorough but fun book about butterflies.

SCENE wanted to know more about Allard's interest in lepidoptery (the study of butterflies).

What draws you to butterflies?
Nature has always fascinated me. As a very young child, I collected caterpillars and took them for rides in a wagon. As an adult, I endeavoured to figure out how to rear butterflies, and realized how little I knew about them and how interesting they were.

Simone Hébert Allard launches Manitoba Butterflies: A Field Guide on Wednesday June 19 at 7 p.m. at McNally Robinson Books.

]]>
Seven years ago author, artist and journalist Simone Hébert Allard set out to combine science and anecdotal information to create a thorough but fun book about butterflies.

SCENE wanted to know more about Allard's interest in lepidoptery (the study of butterflies).

Simone Hébert Allard (Fred Elcheshen)

What draws you to butterflies?
Nature has always fascinated me. As a very young child, I collected caterpillars and took them for rides in a wagon. As an adult, I endeavoured to figure out how to rear butterflies, and realized how little I knew about them and how interesting they were.

What is it like to photograph a butterfly - how do you do it?
Photographing butterflies is difficult; that's why I enlisted over 80 photographers who are already experts in the field (pun intended!). I do have about 10 of my own photos in the book - the key is knowing where and when to find them, having a good macro lens and - mostly - being very patient!

What are the challenges?
Butterflies are fickle creatures; when you set out to look for them, there is no guarantee that they will make a command performance. If you go out on a windy, or worse, rainy day, chances are the butterflies are roosting and keeping out of harm's way so you won't see any.

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Bill Dean)

Which is the most difficult butterfly to photograph?
I have not really had enough experience personally to answer that question, but according to the experts, the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail is considered to be 'flighty' when sipping nectar on flowers and tends to fly very high up in the trees, making it difficult to photograph.

Which butterfly photo are you most proud of capturing and why?
I would say my favourite photo is one I took of a Painted Lady butterfly in Kildonan Park last summer. The photo was sharp and had a good composition, so it did make its way into my book.

Manitoba Butterflies: A Field Guide (Turnstone Press)

How long did it take you to complete this book?
From the very beginning, I would say I have been working on the book for about seven years, but more intensively in the last four years. This includes doing the research and finding all of the photos that I needed (there are two photos of each butterfly species in the wild and its egg, caterpillar and chrysalis).

There are also life-size specimens of each of the 101 species featured in the book; these are professional photos taken of Manitoban Dave Delf's 35-year old butterfly collection.

What's your next project on the horizon?
I have two serious upcoming projects; a book about butterflies written for children ages 8-12 in French and a second field guide written in English about the butterflies of Saskatchewan for adults.

Simone Hébert Allard launches Manitoba Butterflies: A Field Guide on Wednesday June 19 at 7 p.m. at McNally Robinson Books.

Related:
Arctic Air writer launches novel inspired by Idle No More

Manitoba musicians rack up Western Canadian Music Award nominations

2013-06-18T17:14:28Z

The 2013 Western Canadian Music Award nominees have been announced, and Manitobans earned 31 of the nominations.

The most crowded categories for local performers are for Aboriginal Recording of the Year and Francophone Recording of the Year. Three of the five acts competing for the Aboriginal trophy are BURNT-Project 1, Don Amero and Tracy Bone.

In the running in the Francophone category are Ca Claque!, Jocelyne Baribeau and Oh My Darling.

The 2013 Western Canadian Music Awards will be handed out on October 6th in Calgary, AB as part of the BreakOut West weekend.
]]>

Don Amero is up for Aboriginal Recording of the Year.

The most crowded categories for local performers are for Aboriginal Recording of the Year and Francophone Recording of the Year. Three of the five acts competing for the Aboriginal trophy are BURNT-Project 1, Don Amero and Tracy Bone.

In the running in the Francophone category are Ca Claque!, Jocelyne Baribeau and Oh My Darling.

Read: Oh My Darling celebrates French EP with their own beer

Following last week's announcement that their latest album made the Polaris Music Prize Long List, KEN mode's Entrench earned them a nod for Metal/Hard Music Recording of the Year.

Del Barber will compete for Roots Solo Recording of the Year (Mark Maryanovich)

Del Barber and Keri Latimer will go head to head in the Roots Solo Recording of the Year category, while collaborations from Erin Propp and Larry Roy, and Jeff Presslaff and Will Bonness will compete for Jazz Recording of the Year.

Multiple nominee JP Hoe us up for Independent Album of the Year, and will compete against Indicator.Indicator for Pop Recording of the Year.

Mira Black was nominated for Electronic/Dance Recording Of The Year, Mahogany Frog is up for Instrumental Recording of the Year and The Lytics will compete for Rap/Hip Hop Recording of the Year.

Steve Bell has also earned a nomination in the Spiritual Recording of the Year category and Casimiro Nhussi will compete for World Recording of the Year.

Manitoba was also well represented in the Children's Recording of the Year category, earning nods for LuLu and the TomCat and Marie-Claude. And also had double nominees for Classical Recording of the Year, for albums by Sid Robinovitch and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Winnipeggers also earned multiple nominations for WCMA industry awards. Paquin Entertainment Group was nominated for Agency of the Year and Manager of the Year, putting them in direct competition with local manager and fellow nominee, Tim Jones.

Cam Leoppky was nominated for Engineer of the Year, Chris Frayer, artistic director at the Winnipeg Folk Festival is up for Talent Buyer of the Year while both the West End Cultural Centre and Park Theatre were nominated for Live Music Venue of the Year.

JP Hoe's video for "Nothing's Gonna Harm You" also earned a nomination for Video of the Year for Procter Bros. Industries.

The 2013 Western Canadian Music Awards will be handed out on October 6th in Calgary, AB as part of the BreakOut West weekend.

Have you seen this?

Booking agents increasingly essential for working musicians

Red River Ex introduces healthy midway eats

2013-06-18T14:10:19Z

Don't worry, mini-donuts are safe.

So are deep-fried pickles, burgers and fries and candy apples. Those favourite midway foods aren't going anywhere.

But salads, donairs, noodles, soft tacos, burritos and wraps--all loaded with fresh vegetables--are also enticing eaters at this year's Red River Exhibition.

The new Expressway food tent, located west of the main gate, is the new hub for healthier food and part of a bigger plan to offer fair fans more than just deep-fried everything, says Red River Exhibition CEO Garth Rogerson.

The Red River Exhibition runs June 14-23.
]]>
So are deep-fried pickles, burgers and fries and candy apples. Those favourite midway foods aren't going anywhere.

Red River Exhibition CEO Garth Rogerson prepares to dig into a Veggie Explosion. (Robin Summerfield)

But salads, donairs, noodles, soft tacos, burritos and wraps--all loaded with fresh vegetables--are also enticing eaters at this year's Red River Exhibition.

Read: Handcrafted Manitoba ice cream flying out of freezers

The new Expressway food tent, located west of the main gate, is the new hub for healthier food and part of a bigger plan to offer fair fans more than just deep-fried everything, says Red River Exhibition CEO Garth Rogerson.

Three years ago, the exhibition began talking to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority about what they could do to promote healthy eating. "We went on a mission."

Last year, the Ex introduced a few health-food concessions. The unveiling of Expressway this year marks the next step in the evolution, he says.

Stephen Ford says fresh, gluten free and no preservatives are at the heart of his menu of Mexican favourites. (Robin Summerfield)

"It's fine to have some deep-fried food but it's a one-off, everything in moderation as they say," Rogerson says. "But this is about engaging people in healthy eating."

At Yo Quiero, fresh ingredients, gluten-free foods, house-made salsas and guacamole and preservative-free Mexican favourites are at the heart of the menu, says owner Stephen Ford.

"I just believe in real food," says Ford, whose business is based in Coquitlam, B.C. "The whole industry, they're trying to go this way."

Midway trucks, like Salt Spring Noodle Bar, are selling healthier, non-fried foods at carnivals and local fairs across Canada. (Robin Summerfield)

Scott Dennis, owner of Salt Spring Noodle Bar, agrees. "People still like their cotton candy but they want to have healthier foods as well," says Dennis, who launched his mobile food company in 2012. Water, not oil, is used for preparation in Dennis' truck.

While the new Expressway tent is health-food central, other food stands on park grounds also sell wholesome foods.

Around the Ex, hungry folks with healthy appetites will also find roasted corn on the cob, roasted turkey legs, salads and whole-wheat wraps stuffed with vegetables and grilled chicken, among other options.

The Red River Exhibition runs June 14-23.

Teen girls craft superhero identities to challenge stereotypes

2013-06-17T09:00:31Z

Move over, Marvel.

A group of teenage girls from Winnipeg has created a set of trading cards starring a squad of superheroes dubbed The Craftastics: Agents for Social Change. Their mission? To combat the everyday evils that lurk in the halls of high school.

These young ladies are part of the Valley Gardens Grrlz Club, a River East Transcona School Division after-school program. It's a safe, supportive space to relax, make crafts and talk about anything, including sexism, stereotyping, body-issues, depression, anxiety, gossip, peer pressure and bullying.

Through Winnipeg Arts Council's Community WITH ART Program, which connects professional artists with community groups to further discussions of community identity, issues and growth through the creation of a public art project, the Grrlz Club was partnered with Jennie O, a local visual artist, who acted as mentor, collaborator and sympathetic ear. Every week, they met in the multi-purpose room at Valley Gardens School.
]]>
A group of teenage girls from Winnipeg has created a set of trading cards starring a squad of superheroes dubbed The Craftastics: Agents for Social Change. Their mission? To combat the everyday evils that lurk in the halls of high school.

These young ladies are part of the Valley Gardens Grrlz Club, a River East Transcona School Division after-school program. It's a safe, supportive space to relax, make crafts and talk about anything, including sexism, stereotyping, body-issues, depression, anxiety, gossip, peer pressure and bullying.

The Masked Peacock aka Naomi Wall (WAC)

Through Winnipeg Arts Council's Community WITH ART Program, which connects professional artists with community groups to further discussions of community identity, issues and growth through the creation of a public art project, the Grrlz Club was partnered with Jennie O, a local visual artist, who acted as mentor, collaborator and sympathetic ear. Every week, they met in the multi-purpose room at Valley Gardens School.

"When started talking about the project, we decided the artwork should address the issues they were talking about," Jennie O says. "It made sense to do superheroes that dealt with those issues."

Of course, the concept of superheroes came with its own baggage to unpack.

"We talked about stereotyped female superheroes, who are often created by men and hypersexualized," Jennie O says. "Then we discussed what they wanted their superheroes to be."

The group began brainstorming through art activities such as self-portraits and blind-contour drawings. Then they made a trip to Value Village to start making their costumes.

Jennie O was intrigued by The Blondies, a team within the team, who wanted their self-styled superhero duo to wear little black dresses and beauty-queen sashes. Their goal? To challenge assumptions and stereotypes. "They wanted to say, 'Yeah, we're blonde and we're cute -- but we're very smart. We look like this but that doesn't mean we're dumb and superficial.' I thought that was great," she says.

The girls then sculpted clay dolls based on their creations and, with the help of local photographer Talia Potash, did a photo shoot. "The Miles Mac cosmetology students did the hair and makeup, which was great. It was really girls working together," Jennie O says.

The heroes these young women came up with are inspired. The Bookmark's mission is to end discrimination against nerds. Click dismantles cliques and puts an end to gossip. The Masked Peacock, resplendent in her colours, fights racism. Straight Shooter knows you don't need alcohol or drugs to have a good time and Biker Chick says "it isn't big to make others feel small."

Jennie O as The Matriart (WAC)

Jennie O has her own super alter-ego, too. The Matriart works to end gender inequality in the art world.

Naomi Wall, aka The Masked Peacock, is a 15-year-old member of Valley Garden Grrlz Club. She loved being a part of the project.

"I joined the club because I thought it would be a good way to make new friends," she says. "It was really neat creating our own community and making all this art."

Inspired by the costume-making portion of the project, Naomi has taken up sewing.

Both Wall and Jennie O agree that after-school arts programming should be made a bigger priority in schools.

"The arts are under-appreciated," Wall notes. "Sports get all the attention and resources. Being able to create art on this level was really neat."

Indeed, The Craftastics' reach goes far beyond Valley Gardens School. The girls had an exhibit at Platform Gallery in May. The trading card decks were professionally printed and 300 limited-edition box sets have been produced. One hundred are for sale through WAC for $25, the other 200 will be distributed to schools, libraries, resource and youth outreach centres citywide.

People well outside of the city are taking notice, too. Jezebel and the Bitch blog, two major U.S. feminist pop culture sites, both ran stories on The Craftastics.

"I think that's a fantastic thing," Wall says. "It gives us a voice outside of our school. And it gives other girls a voice. This is our way to say, 'Don't worry -- it's OK. It gets better. We go through this, too. We're here.'"

Handcrafted Manitoba ice cream flying out of freezers

2013-06-16T09:00:43Z

As the old gourmand saying goes, "if you reduce the fat, you reduce the flavour." This applies to rich sauces, well-marbled meats, and above all, ice cream, where a high buttercream content allows the luscious flavours to shine.

"Mine runs about 19 per cent. And usually ice creams here run about 11 per cent," said Lisa Dyck, referring to the buttercream content of her luxurious Cornell Creme hand-crafted ice cream.

"I'm just finding with the higher butterfat that the taste is carried through... plus you can eat just a little bit and still be fulfilled," Dyck continued.
]]>

Think that dog wants to lick the bowl? (Mike Green)

"Mine runs about 19 per cent. And usually ice creams here run about 11 per cent," said Lisa Dyck, referring to the buttercream content of her luxurious Cornell Creme hand-crafted ice cream.

"I'm just finding with the higher butterfat that the taste is carried through... plus you can eat just a little bit and still be fulfilled," Dyck continued.

Ever wanted to learn about organic farming?

I couldn't agree more, as this is some of the richest, creamiest ice cream I have ever had.

All the flavours I tried this week at Cornell Dairy -- the Dyck's farm located outside of Anola -- were quite exceptional. Their Malty Ale Pail proves that beer and ice cream were meant to be together, while the Raspberry White Chocolate and Lemon Meringue will make you want to close your eyes and savour the layers of flavour.

The cows that make the cream (Mike Green)

Cornell Creme hits all the locavore criteria a foodie could ask for, the milk and cream come from the Dyck's own cows, which Lisa then transports to the University of Manitoba in cream cans for processing.

The batches are hand-crafted, with all the ingredients -- from the beer, to the vanilla, to the raspberries, to the lemon -- are either hand-squeezed, cooked, or reduced, by Dyck herself.

"The most we can produce right now is 200 litres a week. But we are working on a piece of equipment to bump that up. Hopefully we can do up to 1000," said Dyck.

With small batches and high standards, Cornell Creme is a premium product. The cost to produce one litre can be as high as $7, while it retails around $11 to $12 per litre.

This premium price tag has not deterred a loyal following, as retailers have found it flies out of the freezer.

"When it comes in it is really in short supply, as it is really a hot item," said Erin Crampton, of Crampton's Market. "We've had people buying multiple containers, walking out with arms filled with 6 to 8 litres of ice cream for their lists of friends who have put out requests for it."

British jazz singer Helen White calls Winnipeg home

2013-06-15T16:57:32Z

From Cambridge, England to Winnipeg, Manitoba is not a commonly travelled route. Singer Helen White came to the University of Manitoba for her masters degree in music, and eight years and three children later, White and her husband call Winnipeg home. White admits it wasn't easy at first. "Nobody knew me so I had to hustle to get gigs and I played pretty much everywhere and I still do...I recorded a couple of albums. I have one of originals, and a new one."

The Jazz Winnipeg Festival runs until June 23. Hear Helen White and friends on Friday June 21 at noon at the Jazz for Lunch series.
]]>
White admits it wasn't easy at first. "Nobody knew me so I had to hustle to get gigs and I played pretty much everywhere and I still do...I recorded a couple of albums. I have one of originals, and a new one."

White joined SCENE on Air host Ismaila Alfa to talk about her new album What the Hellsy. She says it was about five years ago that she was invited to sing at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival and she's been there every year since.

Steve and Anna-Lisa Kirby also bring dynamic energy to Winnipeg's jazz scene.

But White is not just a jazz singer. "I kind of have a split personality," she explains. "I do a lot of jazz. I now play piano and I do jazz in bars, restaurants, clubs, weddings, corporate events, that kind of thing. And then my other side is my songwriter's side which I feature on this new album and it's not really that jazzy. It's more pop."

White credits husband Duncan White for helping make it possible for her to keep up a performing career. "I couldn't do any of this without him. He's the one who stays home night after night, looking after the kids, and gets to hear about my shows - doesn't get to come to them. He's the one who said I should be doing jazz and I said 'ya ya whatever'. And then I did. I got a taste for it and I got hooked and it was his keen ear that had heard that. He is the inspiration behind it all."

The Jazz Winnipeg Festival runs until June 23. Hear Helen White and friends on Friday June 21 at noon at the Jazz for Lunch series. Before then, catch her on SCENE on Air with host Ismaila Alfa on Saturday June 15. The show airs every Saturday from 5 - 6 p.m. on CBC Radio One, 89.3 FM/990 AM/97.9 FM in Brandon.

Don Amero raising funds for Winnipeg girl with extensive health issues

2013-06-14T20:47:17Z

When Don Amero was scheduling his latest concert, it was intended to celebrate a successful year. But then he got a call from Calvin Wood. Wood's daughter, Elena Robertson Wood, is 10 years old. She was in a coma the first two years of her life, has had three open heart surgeries, and recently had a stroke.

]]>
But then he got a call from Calvin Wood. Wood's daughter, Elena Robertson Wood, is 10 years old. She was in a coma the first two years of her life, has had three open heart surgeries, and recently had a stroke.

Elena Wood needs a wheelchair to get around and the family is trying to raise money to buy a van that can be adapted to accommodate it.

Don Amero with his son Oscar (courtesy Don Amero)

In a small way, Amero says he could relate to the Wood family's story.

"When my son was born, I cried for the first two months. My wife had been in hospital after he was born, not able to get on her feet so it was a really tough go. Here we are a year and a half later, my son Oscar is healthy, and my wife Pam is doing well."

Amero wanted to help so he decided to turn his June 15th concert at The Forks into a fundraiser for the Wood family.

"I want to challenge 1000 Winnipeggers to show up and drop $20 in the bucket for the family. We decided to make it about Elena this week and I want people to come and celebrate with me. At the same time if people are able to give a little bit I know it'll go a long way."

In an interview with CBC, Calvin Wood explains his daughter was kept in the hospital for the first two years of her life because her throat didn't develop properly. She'd try to pull out the tubes and wires that allowed her to breathe, so she was kept in a hospital-induced coma.

Her last open heart surgery was when she was four, and in March, she had a stroke. But Calvin Wood says his daughter's strength has come back.

"She's back to scootching on the floor," he says. "'Cause she's never walked and she doesn't talk, but I put her on the ground, and put her helmet on and she scoots all over the apartment. She loves it, she likes being free.

"She's a very happy girl, she's kinda bossy. One of her favourite things is ripping paper. We have many toys for her but she finds a piece of paper and starts ripping it up into shreds. If she gets upset or something just give her a piece of paper and she calms down."

Don Amero is quick to point out that people are welcome to come even if they can't afford to offer financial support. "The big thing is that if people feel they can't give anything, I want them to feel comfortable to come and meet Elena. Just having people behind you, showing support, really does show the spirit of the city."

Don Amero and friends, including JC Campbell, Tracy Bone, William Prince, Red Moon Road and Indian City will perform June 15th at The Forks at 7:00-10:30 pm. Weather permitting, they will be at Oodena Circle or under the canopy if it happens to be raining.

Underground Film Festival brings edgy film to Winnipeg

2013-06-14T18:54:52Z

Underground film is independent, experimental and edgy. The first-ever Winnipeg Underground Film Festival runs this weekend, and it feels like a natural fit for a city that produces its fair share of avant-garde filmmakers. Organized by Open City Cinema, the three-day fest offers some beautiful, boundary-busting, what-the-hell-was-that work. (All programs run at Frame Arts Warehouse, 318 ½ Ross St.)

]]>
The first-ever Winnipeg Underground Film Festival runs this weekend, and it feels like a natural fit for a city that produces its fair share of avant-garde filmmakers.

Organized by Open City Cinema, the three-day fest offers some beautiful, boundary-busting, what-the-hell-was-that work.

Some highlights:
● There are short films, and then there are the entries in the <90 Second program. 70 micro videos and films will explore just how much cinematic energy can be packed into a minute and a half.

● While there is a ton of local talent at WUFF, the festival also brings in national and international video and film, including programs of work by Montreal media artist Sabrina Ratté, San Francisco filmmaker Paul Clipson, and Jess McLean, an artist based in Iowa City.

There's a roundup of wild, weird experimental animation (which features global animators as well as local stars Mike Maryniuk and Leslie Supnet) and a screening of the award-winning underground feature film Two Years at Sea by U.K.-based Ben Rivers.

● Also expect some multimedia stuff, including live collaborative performances by Solar Coffin and Ghost Twin, and a VHS dance party with DJ Rob Vilar and DJ Rhayne Vermette (who are both active in the film community).

● What really grabbed me was the Cinema Studies program.

I got a sneak peak at these subversive found-footage remixes, which use digital technology, film theory and a robust testing of the "fair use" principle to comment on the values of Hollywood movies and mainstream pop culture. (Think of them as brainiac versions of those ever-popular YouTube movie mash-ups.)

San Francisco-based Bryan Boyce wittily imagines Taxi Driver by way of Walt Disney. His mock trailer, which receives a joking MPAA rating of "Wholesomely Disturbing," combines Scorsese's seamy sex and violence with Disney's woodland creatures and general jollity. The effect is funny but also strangely unsettling: You'll never see Steamboat Willie the same way again.

A still from Crop Duster Octet (Gregg Biermann)

Crop Duster Octet by American Gregg Biermann reworks the famous scene from Hitchcock's North by Northwest, in which Cary Grant is menaced by a low-flying airplane.

Chronologically chopped and spatially divided into eight horizontal bands, the sequence becomes a fascinating look at how we process cinematic information.

Postface, by Montreal-born Frederic Moffet, looks at the ineffably beautiful Hollywood star Montgomery Clift, whose life and career changed after a 1956 car crash left his face scarred and partly paralyzed.

And in The Time That Remains, the Australian artist duo Soda_Jerk deconstructs the images of golden-age divas Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. In these deftly manipulated sequences, the women's aging selves confront and pursue their younger incarnations in a deeply poignant examination of time, fame and the double-edged power of the camera's gaze.

The Winnipeg Underground Film Festival runs at Frame Arts Warehouse, 318 ½ Ross St. June 14 - 16.

Like experimental film?
Filmmaker Solomon Nagler happy to make his audience uncomfortable

From Styrofoam to strings, concert celebrates music education

2013-06-14T18:02:19Z

The young musicians of the Sistema Winnipeg program capped off the season with a concert at the Shaw Performing Arts Centre at The Forks on June 12.

At the event, 80 children from Elwick Community School and King Edward Community School got to display their talents for family and friends.

]]>
At the event, 80 children from Elwick Community School and King Edward Community School got to display their talents for family and friends.

"The kids were fantastic," says Tanya Derksen, director of education and outreach with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. "They love performing because they do it quite often and they've been preparing for this for a long time."

As part of the concert, Daniel Scholz led the students of Elwick in a rendition of Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D.

Check out their first, Styrofoam instruments

The WSO's Alexander Mickelthwate hosted the evening, he said that the students in the Sistema program have an even bigger opportunity than he had growing up, because they are getting music instruction every day, as opposed to once a week. He emphasized that the program can propel the children to do whatever they want, be it music or anything else.

Sistema students also performed as a choir (Jason Hayes)

The Sistema Winnipeg program started last year at Elwick and was expanded this year to King Edward. The students from King Edward learned music basics on cardboard and Styrofoam instruments during the fall and only started playing real instruments in January.

10 additional students have already signed up at both schools for next year. "I feel like we've got a lot of momentum going," says Derksen. "The kids love being in the program. When new kids are welcomed in they're very receptive and already do quite a bit of mentoring.

"I think they know that this is something special and they love being a part of it and their automatic reaction is to want to have other people a part of it, too."

Earlier this year the WSO and CBC Manitoba staged an instrument drive that collected 97 instruments. Sistema hopes to expand the program to include wind and brass instruments in 2014-2015.

Did you know this?
Sistema program provides more than instruments

5 ways to spend your weekend in Winnipeg

2013-06-14T17:29:37Z

If you had plans to go to the beach or cabin, it might be time to call it. The forecast calls for rain on both Saturday and Sunday -- but John Sauder told me it's not all bad.

There will be sunshine in the morning on Saturday, and it likely won't rain until later in the day on Sunday. So get up early and take advantage while you can -- there's a lot to do in the river city this weekend.

]]> If you had plans to go to the beach or cabin, it might be time to call it. The forecast calls for rain on both Saturday and Sunday -- but John Sauder told me it's not all bad.

MUSIC - Jazz Fest's outdoor concerts

When: June 14, 15 and 16

Where: Old Market Square

Cost: Free

Jazz Fest outdoor concert series never disappoints. Ever. I haven't missed Moses Mayes play Old Market Square on the Sunday before Jazz Fest in years. And even if it rains, you can huddle under the beer tent and still enjoy it.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday has a stellar lineup of local and somewhat-local bands playing outdoors, for free. There are food carts, vendors and even beer gardens. It's hands down my favourite outdoor summer thing to do in the city. And it's totally free.

Shows you won't want to miss are the aforementioned Moses Mayes on Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. and Royal Canoe on Saturday at 11:45 p.m.

FILM - Winnipeg Underground Film Fest

When: June 14, 15 and 16 (evenings)

Where: Frame Arts Warehouse, 318 1/2 Ross Avenue

Cost: $5/screening, $10/ night or $15 festival pass

If it's going to be raining, you can do better than having beers in your friend's humid apartment, contemplating what stale-smelling bar is worth braving the deluge for.

Ghost Twin in action (Holly Halftone)

For the price of cover to see a too-loud, mediocre band at a bar in the village, you can check out WUFF, the first ever Winnipeg Underground Film Fest.

It's a three-day event with a bunch of short, independent films from people across the world. There's one feature film scheduled and two live performances.

I haven't seen any of the films, so I can't recommend anything in particular to see, but I have to say, the Ghost Twin live performance sounds pretty rad. The event's Facebook page calls it a "gothy electronic music and video séance not to be missed."

Check out Alison Gillmor's picks at the WUFF

OUTDOORS - MEC Bikefest

When: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on June 15

Where: The Forks under the canopy

Cost: Free

I know you like biking, Winnipeggers. I see you all the time, cycling everywhere -- navigating traffic, zooming past me in the park, cutting through Omand's Park in Wolseley.

So take yourself and your wheels to MEC's annual Bikefest. There's music, a gear swap (presumably where one swaps gear related to bicycles), vendors showing off stuff to buy and some workshops. There will also be a group ride and activities for the kiddies.

Apparently this will all be under the canopy, so stay dry, cyclists!

Wanna take a spin on this? (Jill Coubrough/CBC)

RIDES - Red River Ex

When: June 14-23

Where: Red River Exhibition Park

Cost: $9 (park entrance) - $45 (all those rides!)

This happens every year! It's the same grimy, fun-filled time you had when you were a kid. Best plans will include hitting the ferris wheel, those swings that twirl around and are not meant for adults followed by a churro, one scary ride and then a long, hot drive home.

Bonus points if you wear those cute barrettes your mom used to make you wear when she brought you as a kid. I don't know what the equivalent of that for men is? Suspenders? Try those.

Don't miss: Puking after going on that new ride called Mach 3.

BOOKS - Beer and fighting at a book store... sort of

When: June 15 at 11 a.m.

Where: McNally Robinson, 1120 Grant Avenue

Cost: Free (unless you buy the books, which you most certainly should)

Winnipeg has a lot of great places to hide in when it rains -- not the least of which is McNally Robinson on Grant Avenue.

The smell of books combines with the amazing treats from Prairie Ink Café and the windy staircase that leads to the children's section is pretty dreamy. This weekend though, there are at least two new reasons to go peruse their collection.

The authors of More Money for Beer and Textbooks will be there to sign books. They wrote a guide to avoiding student debt while getting through school and wrote a title clever enough to get most college students to pick it up.

If the beer angle doesn't grab you, UFC big shot Bruce Buffer will be there signing copies of his book It's Time. In his promo photo, Buffer is doing that "yes!" elbow pump gesture. If that's any sort of insight into his personality and what it will be like to get him to sign your book, I think you should go.

Have you seen this?
Manitoba musicians make time for marathons

U of W's Back Door Lunch feeds walk-up traffic every Friday

2013-06-14T09:00:27Z

Despite helming something of a downtown food empire that includes a restaurant, university cafeteria and catering business, chef Ben Kramer really wishes he had a food truck.

So once the daily traffic at the university slowed down for the summer, Kramer and his staff came up with the next best thing - Back Door Lunch.

]]>
So once the daily traffic at the university slowed down for the summer, Kramer and his staff came up with the next best thing - Back Door Lunch.

Back Door Noodle (Ron Cantiveros)

"The cafeteria is slow, we're super busy with catering so part of it is to keep us busy, it's fun, it's Friday," Kramer says. "If only we could be licensed it'd be even better."

Now, every Friday, diners can walk up to the receiving door at 401 Spence Street and order the weekly special, like customizable tacos, noodles and bento boxes.

"I think the idea with the back door food is to show that there's more than hot dog carts," Kramer explains.

"You can still get cheap food, you can eat walking around downtown and it doesn't have to be garbage. It can be real food. 90 per cent of it is fun for us, that 10 per cent is reminding people."

The launch of Back Door Lunch also helped mark Food Revolution Day, an initiative of Jamie Oliver's. Kramer is the Manitoba ambassador for the project and was tasked with coming up with a way to mark the occasion on May 17. "Everybody was supposed to hold an event and we thought that'd be a perfect way to launch," he says.

The first lunch was Back Door Tacos, by the second week, Kramer decided to add a fundraising element to the mix and donated 100 per cent of the profits - about $300 - to Winnipeg Harvest.

"We're going to cover costs, not lose money but donate a part of it. The original idea was to have fun, raise awareness of local foods and get outside," Kramer says.

He says they plan to switch up the menu every week, with popular favourites making return appearances and condiments and toppings changing seasonally.

Kramer doesn't do any formal advertising of what's on special every week, the only way to keep track of what's coming out of the kitchen is to follow him on Twitter and watch for hashtags like #backdoornoodle for details.

Back Door Lunch runs Fridays at 401 Spence Street (off Ellice) from 11:30-2:00.

KEN mode lands on the Polaris Long List

2013-06-13T15:23:38Z

The Polaris Music Prize announced its Long List today, and one Manitoban act is in the running for the annual award, worth $30,000. Winnipeg metal/hardcore heroes KEN mode made the list for their latest album, Entrench. The band has been on the road since the album came out at the beginning of March. Reached in Providence, RI, singer Jesse Matthewson was happy to hear about the nomination, but not too optimistic.

]]>

The Polaris Music Prize announced its Long List today, and one Manitoban act is in the running for the annual award, worth $30,000.

KEN mode's Entrench

Winnipeg metal/hardcore heroes KEN mode made the list for their latest album, Entrench. The band has been on the road since the album came out at the beginning of March.

Learn some KEN mode trivia, it's fun!

Reached in Providence, RI, singer Jesse Matthewson was happy to hear about the nomination, but not too optimistic.

"It feels good, but much like the last, I think we stand little chance," he said, laughing.

But Matthewson does appreciate what the Polaris Prize represents. "It means a nice amount of cash to indie rock musicians, and a nasty tease to purveyors of aggressive music."

The list of nominees will be whittled down when the Short List is released on July 16th. The prize is awarded to a Canadian Album of the Year, judged on artistic merit, unrelated to record sales or the genre of music. It is voted on by music journalists, bloggers and broadcasters.

Winning awards is becoming familiar territory for KEN mode, in 2012, they were the first to win the inaugural Juno award for Metal/Hard Album of the Year for the album Venerable.

The Long List for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize

A Tribe Called Red
Alaclair Ensemble
ANCIIENTS
The Besnard Lakes
Louis-Jean Cormier
Mac DeMarco
Daphni
Evening Hymns
Hannah Georgas
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Chilly Gonzales
Jim Guthrie
Hayden
Zaki Ibrahim
KEN mode
Kid Koala
Kobo Town
Pierre Lapointe
Lee Harvey Osmond
Les soeurs Boulay
Corb Lund
The Luyas
Majical Cloudz
Metric
METZ
Danny Michel with the Garifuna Collective
AC Newman
Old Man Luedecke
Lindi Ortega
Peter Peter
Purity Ring
Rah Rah
Rhye
Daniel Romano
Colin Stetson
Suuns
Tegan and Sara
Al Tuck
Whitehorse
Young Galaxy

ACTRA Manitoba honours local filmmakers

2013-06-13T15:19:40Z

ACTRA Manitoba (The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), presented its top filmmaking awards on June 11. It also honoured actor and director Louis Kliman with the Victor Cowie Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Performing Arts. Kliman was one of the first actors to appear on CBC Television in the 1950s and performed in many CBC Radio dramas. Among his film credits are Zeyda and the Hitman and Head Over Heels.

]]> ACTRA Manitoba (The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), presented its top filmmaking awards on June 11. It also honoured actor and director Louis Kliman with the Victor Cowie Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Performing Arts.

Kliman was one of the first actors to appear on CBC Television in the 1950s and performed in many CBC Radio dramas. Among his film credits are Zeyda and the Hitman and Head Over Heels. He has also performed regularly around the city with Rainbow Stage and other theatre companies.

Two awards were given out for Member Initiated Productions (MIP). Members were encouraged to make their own shorts which were shown at a film festival at IMAX this past spring.

Ti Hallas receives award from Brenda Gorlick (Alf Kollinger)

The Golden Boy Award for the Most Outstanding Member Initiated Production (MIP) was given to The One, directed by Sean Skene, and produced by Rob Borges, Sean Skene, Bryan Verot, and Mike Bell.

A new award was given out this year, the Crocus Award for the Most Outstanding Single-Shot MIP. It went to Ti Hallas, producer and director of The Swimming Lesson, a film shot in one take starring veteran actor--and swimming instructor--Doreen Brownstone.

"I was thrilled," says Hallas. "It's the first year that we've had the single-shot category, so I thought it was a good place to start." Hallas is an experienced actor and theatre director in Winnipeg. This was her first foray into filmmaking.

Hallas says she was pleased with how the short came together and how complimentary people were about the colour and light she captured. "It boils down to the daylight and the time of day. We had such a beautiful Manitoba sky."

For the filmmakers, the awards fill a void left when The Blizzard Awards were cancelled.

"What we found is that people need a mechanism for members to recognize their own," says Rob Macklin, Branch Representative for ACTRA Manitoba.

"I think it's extremely important for that recognition, for them to be seen, that their colleagues are being recognized for their work."

Arctic Air writer launches novel inspired by Idle No More

2013-06-13T14:30:56Z

When Jordan Wheeler was approached to write a book by Ningwakwe Learning Press, he automatically said yes, since writing is what he does for a living. The Ontario-based literacy publishing company told Wheeler they wanted a novella with a young, male character and that it should incorporate Idle No More. They also told him he had a month to write it.

Jordan Wheeler launches Digital Ogichida on Thursday June 13, 7:30 p.m. at McNally Robinson Books. You can hear him on Up to Speed with Larry Updike after 3:30 p.m., also on Thursday June 13 - Radio 990 AM/89.3 FM.

]]>
The Ontario-based literacy publishing company told Wheeler they wanted a novella with a young, male character and that it should incorporate Idle No More.

They also told him he had a month to write it.

Wheeler is used to deadlines, after all. He's been writing professionally since 1982. He's written several books, including Brothers in Arms and Just A Walk. He's written for North of 60 and will return to Vancouver this fall for his third season as a writer and consulting producer on Arctic Air.

His latest, Digital Ogichida is intended for young adult Aboriginal men. The main character, Kevin Davis, is a young man who wants to blend into contemporary Canadian society. He ends up at some protests because of a girl he meets and along the way he rediscovers his First Nation roots.

SCENE asked Wheeler to set the scene for Digital Ogichida:

It may not be the most iconic of the Idle No More pictures, but I was there that day and so was Kevin Davis. It's in front of the Manitoba Legislature in the Idle No More early days and it was as cold as described in the book.

A good chunk of the protesters had been in stores the morning of, to buy toques, mitts, balaclavas, scarves, long underwear and the like. A buddy of mine ran into several at the dollar store. I ran into Chiefs and a Grand Chief at Mark's Work Warehouse.

"Digital Ogichida" by Jordan Wheeler (Ningwakwe Learning Press)

It was a gathering as much as anything else. Friends visited, some for the first time in years. I saw a lot of people I knew -- some were from my generation, some were from my kids' generation, and some were from my mother's generation, including one veteran who attended residential school with her.

That's how it was at all the gatherings. I went with family, my wife always and our various kids at various times. I thought about events like these in the '70s that my late mother and late aunt covered and participated in. My sister was involved too and I guess I was as well, even though I was just a kid. I thought about Meech Lake and Oka Summer, when I was editor of Weetamah.

The youth impressed me, the Elders impressed me and the people in thin coats and without mitts impressed me. It felt like community and with it came that sense of responsibility. When your community calls on you, when your family needs you, when your friends need you, you answer. That's what Kevin Davis does in the book and that was a big part of my decision to write the book.

After the day in the picture it became a stream of rallies in malls, blockades and social media activism. And with it came the social media backlash. Much of it made its way into the book, but the day in the picture seems like the impetus for me.

As the singers pounded the drum, and the beats rippled through me, I sang along, just like Kevin Davis in Digital Ogichida.

Jordan Wheeler launches Digital Ogichida on Thursday June 13, 7:30 p.m. at McNally Robinson Books. You can hear him on Up to Speed with Larry Updike after 3:30 p.m., also on Thursday June 13 - Radio 990 AM/89.3 FM.