Arts
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Three Canadians walk into a recording studio …
Think of a song as a living entity. From a fragmented tune hummed in the shower or stumbled through on a guitar, to a sparkling of green and red lights on a soundboard to a tangible work in vinyl etching and finally to vibrant noise blasted through amps and bouncing off walls, a song is constantly in flux.
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Big mustache and bowler hat rock
A drunken conversation in a Winnipeg bar got the wheels rolling for Gold Mountain, a new folk-rock-pop band featuring some familiar faces. Jamming officially began in 2011 after vocalist/guitarist Kris Rendina’s old band Talk City opened some shows for guitarist Martin LaFrenière’s technical punk group High Five Drive.
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Jingle bell folk
There are many wonderful Winnipeg Christmas traditions, ranging from decorating the tree to accidentally sliding your car into on-coming traffic. What’s seeming to become a new local holiday tradition is A Country Christmas, returning to the St. James Tap and Table for the second year in a row.
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A mustache miracle
The whole idea of a “new tradition” is a bit of an oxymoron, and it’s rare for any new festive celebration to become a true holiday staple. Somehow, Winnipeg singer-songwriter JP Hoe has done it. His annual JP Hoe Hoe Hoe Holiday Show has been going on for nearly a decade, and it has grown exponentially in scope and popularity since its humble beginnings at the King’s Head Pub.
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City hopping
Mobina Galore left behind B.C.’s largest city for Winnipeg and ended up recording a solid LP that’s largely inspired by our thriving punk scene. The duo, which formed near the end of 2010, recorded its debut EP, Skeletons, in Vancouver - a city at times suitable for partying but not quite as convenient for working on a record.
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Bearing with New Year’s
Figuring out plans for New Year’s Eve seems like one heck of a chore, which is probably why I’ve never gone out for said occasion. Here’s a potentially helpful list of stuff to do. Some spots haven’t yet posted details on their events, so keep an eye on certain venue’s Facebook and Twitter pages for more info as the fateful day draws closer. Just try to be kind to your already wounded credit score.
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Don’t leave the couch
It’s winter in Winnipeg. “Freezing” doesn’t even begin to describe what’s happening outside. You want to go to the theatre and catch some of the end-of-year prestige pictures, but the roads are icy and it’s so much easier to stay on the couch with your cat. Have no fear! 2014 was a great year for movies, and there are plenty of solid flicks available on DVD or VOD that you probably missed. Here are a few.
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The Uniter Top 10 Lists
The Uniter staff members compile their year-end top-ten lists.
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Out of the wild
A cabin in Manitoba’s Interlake region lacking both running water and Internet was Kathryn Kerr’s creative space for the genesis of her debut EP. Wood Songs was released this past summer and serves as an introduction to her folk-based solo project that goes under the moniker of astre, (the French word for “star”).
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Homeward Bound
There are few artists who hold the ability to work in a myriad of media while still being humbly productive and keeping their feet grounded. Rae Spoon is one of those few.
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F.P. Tranquilizer & Microdot
I'm not sure why these two local albums, which exist fine on their own, are delivered here on one disc, but it's okay because it's economical and it all really works together.
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Vogue Dots
This four-song EP from New Brunswick chillwave duo Vogue Dots delivers the sad.
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FINN
The debut EP from Winnipeg quintet FINN delivers five ultra-clean pop rockers that live somewhere between late-period Death Cab and early Teenage Fanclub. "Father's Chair" and "River's Shore" both have a bit of an edge while playing it safe, blending acoustic guitars with light distortion.
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A silver lining
Jim Silver has long provided a voice against the status quo.
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Not your baba’s clothing store
“A lot of the stuff I sell is more casual,” Rachael Poklitar tells me over coffee at The Good Will Social Club. It’s a freezing cold evening and traffic is slipping and sliding all over Portage Avenue. “I personally don’t dress super fancy. I just kind of mish and mash what I like. So I take that approach with the shop, too. Wearing vintage in a modern way.”
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Meet your new neighbours
Every year, hundreds of people flee war-torn refugee camps for a more peaceful life in Winnipeg. In 2013, Manitoba welcomed 1,484 refugees - the highest per capita in the country. The dramatic transition between countries and cultures is what’s explored in Letters to Our Children: Stories of Refuge.
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Dumb and Dumber To
In my books, 1994’s Dumb and Dumber is a classic comedy. Sure, writers/directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly have made better and funnier movies (Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary), but the naively hopeful performances of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels elevated that goofy, juvenile material in an undeniably endearing fashion.
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The Theory of Everything
It’s interesting that The Theory of Everything is billed as a romance. The film follows the real life story of world famous astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and his relationship with Jane, a religious Cambridge arts student, who later became his wife. The two had only known each other a short time when Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21. Indeed, it’s a love story, but not necessarily one of romantic love.
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What Happened To… The Lo Pub?
In this instalment of "What Happened to..." Brittany Thiessen interviews Jack Jonasson, David Schellenberg and Kelly Ruth about the former Bar / Music Venue / favourite student hangout located down the street from the U of W, The Lo Pub.
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Whose House? Rich’s House.
Feeling visually overstimulated upon entering Kapala Tattoo is an understatement.