Walk the Moon from Ohio brought their energetic, danceable music to the Commodore Ballroom on March 22 as part of their Talking is Hard tour, and showed us all why it’s sometimes important to just shut up and dance.
With colourful neon lights, red-streaked hair, and plenty of synth, the show felt like an ’80s throwback — in a good way. I also really enjoyed lead singer Nicholas Petricca’s relaxed performance style. Their entrance song as they took the stage was The Lion King’s “The Circle of Life,” and it set a peaceful mood that remained throughout their set. Their stage presence and Petricca’s carefree dancing also exuded positive energy that crossed over to the crowd.
Petricca must be into yoga or some other relaxing hobby. At one point, he asked the crowd to take a few deep breaths with him, and also did a group activity where he had us pull in all the “bullshit” and things that make us angry, tired, or sad, and pull all that stuff up and out through our fingertips to let it go.
Honestly, I think more bands should employ yoga techniques in their stage show. It focused the audience and loosened us up to dance without a care in the world.
On “Different Colors,” the band showed off some great electric guitar riffs, and reverbed into the very catchy “Tightrope.” The ’80s synth vibe continued for their fist-pumping, anthemic “Down in the Dumps.”
The band also showed their range with higher-pitched, echoing voices paired with chilling synth, while “Up 2 U” had a much heavier sound with hard rock influences.
Petricca described the song “Avalanche” as “a song about taking life by the balls.” This track is incredibly catchy, and reminds me a lot of Athlete’s “Superhuman Touch,” perhaps because it evokes the same inexplicably cosmic, uplifting feeling.
The empowerment continued as Petricca got the crowd to jump in unison with “Jenny” and put our hands up to “I Can Lift a Car.”
They saved “Shut Up and Dance” as their last song before the encore, and came back to do a surprisingly great cover of The Killers’ “All These Things that I’ve Done.” It was a treat to sing “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” with the enthusiastic crowd.
I think “Anna Sun” is still their best-known song, so it makes sense that it was their final song of the night, allowing some of their bright, energetic attitude to stay with us long after the show was over.
Have you ever seen one of those tear-jerking SPCA commercials with the manipulative Sarah McLachlan song bellowing? If you find those brief ads insufferably painful, White God, a new Hungarian film, will be almost impossible to watch.
Dog lovers will be able to relate to the young girl Lili’s heart-wrenching dilemma: allow her father to put the dog, Hagen, down, or release Hagen on the street to fend for himself. Lili’s mother and step-father are leaving the country to go to a conference, leaving the young girl to stay with her cruel father who lives in an apartment complex that charges an extra fee for having dogs stay in the home.
Photo courtesy of Video Services Corp.
With the hope of eventually tracking Hagen down, Lili decides (under protest) to have the dog released out on the street, where animal conservation officers run wild to track down stray dogs and throw them into the prison-like pound. After being picked up by a member of a dogfighting ring, Hagen, along with the other low-life delinquents, stages a revolution to stand up against their human oppressors: like a Marxist revolution by dogs.
The main dog, Hagen, emerges as a more complex and profound character than any of the humans in the film.
The title of Kornel Mundruczo’s new film that won the Un Certain Regard section at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, is an allusion to Samuel Fuller’s 1982 cult classic White Dog — the story of a black dog trainer who must retrain a white dog that viciously attacks any black person.
Fuller’s film dealt with race relations in America and questioned whether racism could be cured. Mundruczo has taken Fuller’s idea of using a dog as a metaphor for social issues, wrapping his themes within a framework of accessible genre elements.
White God is part sci-fi allegory and coming of age movie, but its power and inspiration comes not from the themes or human characters but the cinematic characterization of the dog.
Hagen’s interactions with the other dogs are not done with voiced-over dialogue like in a Disney movie, but through the juxtaposition of the faces of the animals. It’s an amazing achievement that Mundruzo has stitched together a coherent narrative based on the interactions of animals that cannot speak.
Because of the way they are personified, we understand the animals’ motivations and thought processes. The main dog, Hagen, emerges as a more complex and profound character than any of the humans in the film.
White God crosscuts between Hagen’s struggles living on the streets and Lili’s inability to find her place within the new environment of her father’s apartment. Lili’s story relies on trite clichés and formula, while Hagen’s story immersed me in its originality and poignancy. The film feels uneven as it mixes tired genre conventions and simplistic allegory with inspired storytelling and some of the best animal performances ever filmed.
By the end, White God turns out to be a straightforward political allegory wherein the dogs represent oppressed racial or class groups. Lili’s family’s elitist sensibilities (Lili is enrolled in classical music class and both of her parents are well-off and educated) are contrasted with Hagen’s daily life on the street.
None of it is overly thought-provoking, but the scenes that depict the abuse and interactions of Hagen are what give the film its power. I’m sure that if the SPCA used parts of this film their donation lines would be ringing around the clock: no Sarah McLachlan required.
White God is playing at the Vancity Theatre March 27 to April 5.
SFU president Andrew Petter looks on as Louis Riel House (LRH) advocate for affordable housing. - Leah Bjornson
SFU president Andrew Petter looks on as Louis Riel House (LRH) advocate for affordable housing. – Leah Bjornson
Louis Riel House residents lobby governors
Shortly after the meeting began, students from Louis Riel House (LRH) arrived to advocate for affordable housing on campus. The students have been mobilizing since the university announced it would officially close the residence in August due to issues with maintenance and the presence of mould in the residence.
Teresa Dettling, a student and single mother living in LRH, shared her concerns that this closure would leave her unable to afford to live on campus. Board chair Bill Cunningham thanked the students for attending, and mentioned that the Board would be discussing the issue later in their session.
Undergraduate representative on the board Deven Azevedo brought up the issue in the open discussion, asking the board what “additional support” mentioned in their official statements the university is providing residents.
Associate vice president students Tim Rahilly replied that they are meeting individually with students. Rahilly added that the building is being closed due to health concerns, not plans to gentrify the site.
Annual Operating Budget approved
The Board of Governors approved SFU’s budget and financial plan for the 2015/2016 year at their meeting last Thursday, for a total budget of $482.1 million.
In his President’s Letter, Andrew Petter wrote, “The operating budget is balanced and seeks to protect program quality, maintain research support and ensure access for qualified students in the face of funding cuts and other fiscal challenges.”
However, the university does anticipate a $2.9 million reduction to the government grant as a result of reductions at the provincial level.
Board members discussed the impact that increased tuition fees have made towards a balanced budget, but representative June Francis cautioned the board against depending on these students beyond their means: “We do not want to be an institution that is elitist and exclusionary.”
Consultation with students policy revised
Azevedo brought several revisions forward regarding Bylaw 10.15 concerning Consultation with Students on Tuition and Fees Policy after “a number of opportunities for improvement were identified by students and their elected leadership.”
Chardaye Bueckert, SFSS president, Abhishek Nanjundappa, GSS university relations officer, and Azevedo worked with vice-president academic Jon Driver and vice-president finance and administration Pat Hibbitts.
The revised policy stated that the university will invite students to budget consultations, as well as establish a website to disseminate information about proposed tuition fee increases.
The newly formed Responsible Investment Committee reported on the university’s commitment to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and to incorporate environmental, social, and corporate governance considerations into its investment decisions.
Committee chair Julia H. Kim stated, “This issue is one that tends to elicit a lot of strong opinion and emotions, and this committee will provide a forum for that discussion.”
Members of the crowd lifted president-elect Enoch Weng above their heads moments after his win was announced. - Brandon Hillier
Members of the crowd lifted president-elect Enoch Weng above their heads moments after his win was announced. – Brandon Hillier
The results are in, amigos: Enoch Weng has been elected as the SFSS president for the 2015/2016 year.
“I don’t even know how to feel. Just so loved,” Weng told The Peak after his fellow candidates had let him down from their shoulders amid chants of “Enoch, Enoch!” He immediately excused himself, rushing off to shake the hands of the other presidential candidates.
The only independent presidential candidate, Weng received 858 votes, winning by a margin of 220 votes over second-place finisher Zied Masmoudi, who received 638. The two were followed by Erik Hadekaer (605), Kayode Fatoba (500), and Johnny Aether (125).
Masmoudi embraced Weng after hearing the results, telling him, “I know it’s in good hands.”
The elections saw 12.08 per cent voter turnout — the highest percentage since the 2009 elections, excluding years which asked students to vote on referendum questions related to the U-Pass.
The REAL slate were the big winners of the night, with 10 of their 16 candidates elected.
Four executive positions were won by significant margins. Brady Wallace was elected the new VP University Relations with a total of 1,356 votes, just over three times as many as runner-up Ally Van Poa. Barbara Szymczyk claimed the VP Finance position with 1,550 votes, doubling opponent Karan Thakur’s 742.
The new VP Student Life is Deepak Sharma, who triumphed over opponent Hassan Liaquat with a total of 1,470 votes to 809. Darwin Binesh will take over the VP Student Services position with a similar margin of 1,481 votes to opponent Shery Alam’s 828.
Described by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Oscar Sanchez as the “quadrangle of love,” the four candidates for the VP External Relations position fought a close race. Ultimately, Kathleen Yang emerged victorious with 804 votes, 152 past runner up Blossom Malhan.
All three referendum questions passed, resulting in the establishment of Health Science Undergraduate Student Union (HSUSU) as the official Faculty Student Union (FSU) by a 96 per cent approval rating. Students also voted in favour of reallocating portions of the Space Expansion Fund Levy to the Membership Fee Levy as well as for targeted funding for the SFSS Emergency Food Bank Program, passing by 59 per cent and 76 per cent respectively.
Weng’s fellow presidential candidates had nothing but kind words for the president-elect. “I just remember sitting in the debates and getting constant high fives and fist bumps from Enoch, and the whole time he’s been so supportive and happy,” Aether noted.
Hadekaer reiterated that this just felt like an average Thursday night for him, and was excited for what the new board has in store for the summer: “As a solid team, they’re going to take this board and move it towards where it should be going. And I’m thrilled about that.”
When asked how he felt, Masmoudi told The Peak, “Feeling good, actually. Almost my whole team won, so REAL represents.”
He continued, “I’m sure that [the board is] going to accomplish great things.”
The Peak caught up with Weng, who, teary-eyed, was making the rounds and thanking his fellow candidates and supporters. “I’m feeling very overwhelmed. I’m so thankful for everybody,” he said.
Weng surely has big dreams for the year ahead, but for now, his plans are simple: “Tonight, we’re going to go to my house and just watch Disney movies all night. And that’s how we’re going to celebrate.”
Internationally renowned spoken word artist Shane Koyczan is performing at Vancouver’s Vogue theatre on Saturday, March 28. Vancouver will be the fifth show of Koyczan’s Silence is a Song I Know All The Words To cross-Canada tour. His first two shows were sold out, and closed to standing ovations, which somehow seemed to surprise him.
Koyczan is currently promoting the release of his album and graphic novel of the same name, as well as the compiled book of poems, A Bruise on Light.
Photo courtesy of Killbeat Music.
Koyczan described the two-part Silence is a Song I Know All The Words To as “a graphic novel that goes along with the album. Remember those old Disney [stories] you had when you were a kid? Where you had the cassette to go along with the book? It’s like that, except without the ‘bing’ to change the page.”
His album, performed with his five-piece band The Short Story Long, combines his spoken word poetry with accompanying singing and instrumentals. However, Koyczan was quick to point out he’s “not making rock and roll albums [. . .] music has just always been a big part of my life.”
The performer explains that when he began writing fiction, he repeatedly struggled to get past the first chapter. “I’ve always journaled, but was never any good at writing stories. There was never any structure until I got to university.” Once there, his creative writing teacher encouraged him to try poetry rather than fiction, and that led to the spoken word he creates today.
His unconventional approach to writing poetry, he explained, is to write from the end to beginning so that he can carry the metaphor throughout each poem. He often abandons pieces that don’t quite become what he wants, in the “Purgatory” folder on his computer, which he revisits whenever he needs new material.
This past year has been filled with many unexpected new opportunities for Koyczan. Along with two books and an album, his work Stickboy the Opera was created and performed by the Vancouver Opera. Koyczan said he could only watch it once through, because it was so surreal to see his own life, and nightmares, play out on the stage. “It’s incredible the Vancouver Opera took a chance on it – no one makes new operas today.”
Up next, he says he is currently working on a feature film. “It’s a big project, but I’ve always loved film [as a medium].”
Tickets to Shane Koyczan’s Vancouver performance Saturday, March 28 at The Vogue can be found here.
In the early hours of Friday, March 27, the new SFSS board of directors members were officially announced. The Peak was there and tweeting. We’ve got the results for you here, but there was plenty more fun to be had. Here are the 10 best moments from tonight’s election results.
1. When candidates walked in with more than just coffee in hand.
Students flocked to the presidential debate on Wednesday, which got particularly heated. - Leah Bjornson
Students flocked to the presidential debate on Wednesday, which got particularly heated. – Leah Bjornson
They laughed, they cried, they debated important student issues. Emotions and energy ran high at the four 2015 SFSS Elections debates held during this year’s campaigning period.
Candidates participated in four rigorous debates at SFU’s Surrey, Vancouver, and Burnaby campuses over the past week and a half. Each of the debates lasted on average five hours, but candidates managed to keep their spirits up throughout them all.
At-large and faculty representative candidates engaged in three of the four debates, where they discussed issues related to their respective faculties; or, in the case of at-large reps, the entire membership.
Tensions reached an all-time high at the Burnaby executive candidate debates last Wednesday, where presidential candidates challenged each other, bared their souls, and even formed some friendships.
Presidential candidates Johnny Aether (LAN Party) and Enoch Weng both spoke about wanting to change the negative associations students have with the SFSS. Weng asserted that the political atmosphere of the society was “alienating” to students, while Aether shared his dismay at how often he hears people use the word “hate” when discussing the society.
Our cowboy candidate for president, Erik Hadekaer (S.P.A.D.E.S.), pushed his Taco Tuesday agenda at all the debates he attended, as well as transparency and governance reform.
Candidate Zied Masmoudi (REAL) stated that the board needs to reevaluate its mission: “One of my main priorities would be to set a goal for the society.”
The mood in the room shifted when candidate Kayode Fatoba (SCHOOL SPIRIT) was challenged by members, directors of the board, and staff on numerous accounts for self-promotion with society resources, disrespecting staff, and absenteeism.
Fatoba, who is also the current VP Student Life, was accused of billing for meetings he had missed. Current Business representative Shadnam Khan then tweeted out pictures of Fatoba’s timesheets and the meeting minutes, which showed that he had been absent.
In response, Fatoba explained that he receives a volunteer stipend for extensive volunteer work, and may not always record it diligently. He became visibly upset when asked to speak to his personal failures. “I’m not here because I want to [be]. I’m here because other people believed in me,” he said.
One of the highlights came when a young girl who identified herself as a “future SFU student” asked the candidates what legacy they planned to leave behind for her. Aether replied that he wanted to take the society back to its “radical roots” and increase its advocacy efforts.
University relations candidate Brady Wallace (REAL) spoke to different student issues that would require liaising with the university, such as the closure of Louis Riel House. His opponent, Ali Najaf (SCHOOL SPIRIT), declined to comment on the matter as he has been working with SFU Residence and Housing on this issue.
However, Najaf asserted that he would side with the student body when in conflict with the administration.
To break up each of the debates, current board members advocated for two levy-related referendum questions that would reallocate funds to grow the food bank program and to increase the society’s financial flexibility by moving more money into the general fund.
VP Student Life candidates engaged in some particularly heated debates. In Burnaby, almost immediately, candidate Deepak Sharma (REAL) asked his opponent, Hassan Liaquat (SCHOOL SPIRIT), why he thought he was the best candidate considering his perceived lack of knowledge. Liaquat responded, “I’ve done my research, I know how to represent students.”
The room stepped into another era for a moment, as VP Finance candidate Karan Thakur and both Student Services candidates criticized the paper timesheet system utilized by the board to log their hours. “We’re not in the ’90s,” Thakur said.
Issues related to communication and technology were discussed during the VP Student Services debate. Both candidates, Shery Alam and Darwin Binesh, raised their concerns that the SFSS does not effectively communicate with the membership.
One pillar of Binesh’s platform is his plan to improve IT for the society and create an electronic database to keep track of members. He stated, “It’s 2015 and we push paper. A lot of paper. It’s absurd!”
In some of the friendliest debates of the season, VP External candidates discussed matters of advocacy, such as Louis Riel House, transit, and the Open Textbook campaign.
External Relations candidate Arjan Mundy said, “Anybody running for this [opportunity] would do a good job.”
With the debates finished, candidates have until midnight on Monday, March 23 to campaign for students’ votes. Students can vote online using their SFU Connect accounts from March 24 to 26.
The fall kickoff will be on a smaller scale than previous concerts. - Erik Sagmoen
Students danced the night away at the high energy Spring Jam concert, put on by the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) in Convocation Mall last week.
People gathered on the night of Friday, March 20 to celebrate the spring semester coming to a close. The concert was officially slated to begin at 5 p.m., but did not commence until 6 p.m. and lasted until 10 p.m.
Before the event began, SFSS VP Student Services and concert lead Zied Masmoudi spoke to The Peak. “I think this is one of the best lineups we’ve ever had,” he stated. “I am really proud that we managed to get this lineup of international artists.
“Compared to the previous Fall Kickoff, we have increased the budget for production and for the artists,” continued Masmoudi. He stated the goal was to keep the budget for production high and ticket prices lower, and most students purchased $20 and $30 tickets.
Around 300 tickets were allocated towards clubs and DSUs. Masmoudi added that “attendance was great and Convo Mall was packed. It was amazing!”
The event kicked off with local indie rock band, Derrival, performing in the early hours of the evening. One of the band members, Deven Azevedo, is also a student and the undergraduate representative on the SFU Board of Governors.
Derrival entertained a modest crowd earlier in the evening, and treated them to their own cover of the Men Without Hats classic “The Safety Dance.”
They were followed by EDM artist LUVLYF, who had previously performed at the 2014 Fall Kickoff and judged the DJ contest for the same event.
Although the event began in cold and rainy weather, students seemed to be having fun and remaining optimistic. Second-year SFU student Damon Huang stated, “I’m feeling good, it’s kind of cold outside.” The cold proved to be no deterrent, however, and the night went on. Second-year student Krystal Wong commented, “It’s a pretty good concert so far.”
After LUVLYF performed, Masmoudi came on stage to thank the volunteers who had participated and announced how happy he was about how the event had turned out.
Afterwards, Australian DJs Stafford Brothers brought their beats, along with their signature inflatable kangaroo. They were followed by headlining act, the house duo, Cash Cash, who brought the crowd to an all-time high with their hit song “Take Me Home.”
SFU Security encountered no major security issues and were pleased with how the event proceeded.
The afterparty for Spring Jam was held at the Highland Pub from 10 p.m. to 1 p.m. Performances from artists, all of whom were SFU students, included Nu Be, the DJ, Drake, and DJ Amorous.
As the night came to a close, Sajjid Lakhani, second-year SFU student and previous Spring Sendoff DJ commented, “Spring Jam was turned the fuck up.”
Ten years ago, colossal alien trees descended from space and took root all over the planet. The story of Trees follows a group of different people all over the world, all of whom have been affected by this strange event.
In the story, a group of scientists in Svalbard work hard to discover the origin of the trees, while a corrupt dictator in Somalia sees them as an opportunity to seize power. In China, two unlikely lovers meet in a special cultural zone built around one of the alien trees, and in Italy a woman seeks the advice of an old man to usurp a fascist gang running the country.
The world of Trees is populated with a very diverse cast of characters. Two in particular who stand out are a young artist and a transgender woman who live in a culture zone in China. This is one of the few stories I’ve ever read that actually delves into a transgender relationship in an accessible but non-gimmicky way. It provides readers with a romantic story the likes of which we rarely see in comics, not to mention mainstream television and movies.
The story shifts constantly between four main plots. Writer Warren Ellis weaves the stories seamlessly together throughout the whole volume. Unlike most graphic novel collections, Ellis chose to forgo separating each issue in this eight-volume saga with its original cover; the story is told as one continuous tale. This presentation adds a great level of suspense, and makes the reader want to keep turning the page.
Jason Howard’s art is spot-on from start to finish. His panels are dynamic and gritty, and bring to life a chaotic world searching for answers. Every page is filled with intricate detail; the scenery takes on life of its own alongside its characters. Howard’s designs of the trees are chilling, and cast an ominous tone on each panel appear they in.
Trees contains science, politics, crime, and love; it has a little something for everybody. The only drawback is that readers will likely prefer certain storylines over others. Some plotlines progress faster than others, and some are just more interesting. As such, parts of the story do slow down at times and can begin to feel like work.
Still, Trees is the most provocative science fiction comic of 2015 so far. While the story leaves readers with more questions than answers, it never once takes away from the overall experience. Part of what makes Trees special is, in fact, its unpredictability; it is hard to guess where the story will go from page to page.
Tied all together with breathtaking artwork and a richly diverse cast of characters spanning the globe, Trees is an alien invasion story finally worth rooting for.
