Satellite Signals

By

-

January 25, 2016

Harbour Centre

vancouver On January 26, noted academics and researchers Alexandru Balasescu and Apurv Jain will present the lecture “Financial Bubbles and their Magic: Asset Price as a Heroic Journey in the Financial Markets” at Harbour Centre.

The lecture will use examples of human behaviour, mythology, and economic models to explain why financial crises happen when they do.

Woodward’s

Andrew Nikiforuk, investigative journalist and author of Slick Water, will present at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts on January 28.
He will speak about the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing, a method for extracting crude oil from the ground. Nikiforuk will draw on the 20 years he has spent covering Canada’s energy sector and will look at specifically what how “fracking” could trigger seismic activity.

Why we need more LGBTQ+ transitional shelters in Canada

By

EIC

-

January 25, 2016

0

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen we think of someone who is homeless, we tend to have this image of a scraggly man with an unkempt beard, pushing his belongings in a shopping cart. While this image may certainly be a reality on Vancouver’s streets, another facet of the homeless population is largely ignored and unaddressed.

These are the homeless youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or various other identities (LGBTQ+). These are people that look like the classmates and friends whom we see everyday, but are going through struggles that most of us cannot even begin to imagine.

The very first transitional shelter for LGBTQ+ youth in Canada is set to open at YMCA’s Sprott House in Toronto on February 1. The shelter will provide safe, respectful housing for LGBTQ+ youth ages 16 to 25, supporting them in their transitions to their next steps in life. This is an important milestone for a population that has traditionally been marginalized, ridiculed, and shunned by society.

A study conducted in 2013 on Toronto’s homeless youth population found one out of five of them identified as LGBTQ+. Several had experienced abuse and discrimination within Toronto’s current shelter system, suffering homophobic abuse at the hands of fellow shelter residents.

These people are going through struggles that most of us cannot even imagine.

Unfortunately, the world is still coming to accept the LGBTQ+ community. While major steps, such as the legalization of gay marriage, have been made in many countries, these are only small victories in the heteronormative world that we live in. To identify oneself on the LGBTQ+ spectrum immediately distinguishes someone as being ‘other’ than the norm, a point of difference that will sadly be contested and judged by many.

It is no small wonder that LGBTQ+ youth, who are already going through the challenges of their formative teen years and have to cope with society’s stigma against their sexual orientation, need spaces of acceptance and respect. Trans folk also often have the added physical challenge of transition combined with the social pressures of people trying to define them according to their terms.

Locally, Vancouver has a prominent shelter in the Downtown Eastside called Covenant House, which provides shelter for young people who have experienced trauma or abuse. Social housing and program provider Rain City Housing also dedicated a two year pilot project in 2012 to providing housing and employment for LGBTQ+ youth ages 18–25, on the basis of not only respecting young people’s identity and life choices but also providing them with a community of care.

We at SFU are also lucky enough to have Out On Campus, an organization that facilitates dialogue and education regarding the spectrum of gender identity and sexual orientations, while providing valuable resources and lounge space.

However, more of these transitional shelters should be opened across Canada in order to not only provide shelter and relief, but to create a space for dialogue and awareness about the LGBTQ+ community. Positive and open spaces like these can only serve to benefit everyone, and are a small step towards acceptance, rather than simply tolerance, of a community that has been marginalized for far too long.

Most importantly, in spaces like these, people can finally feel at home.

An open letter to Guadalupe burritos

By

EIC

-

January 25, 2016

1

Dear Guadalupe burritos,

You don’t know me, but boy, do I know you. My name is Max Hill. I’m the editor-in-chief of the very newspaper you are currently reading. And I have a favour to ask of you.

From the moment you opened your doors in the Maggie Benston Centre of SFU’s Burnaby campus, I knew things were about to change at The Peak offices. For too long, we had argued ceaselessly over dinner choices for our Friday production nights. There was the one editor who always wanted pizza. The one who pined for the sushi place that doesn’t deliver. The one who loved the burgers at the Highland Pub, despite our two vegetarian staffers. I thought we would never be able to find a dinner choice that we could all agree on.

Then you came along, Guadalupe. You changed everything. For the first time, my staff was happy. They had found a food they could all agree on. Chicken, steak, grilled vegetables, guacamole. You had it all. Finally, the only beefs in my office weren’t between co-workers — they were folded between generous helpings of lettuce, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

But you weren’t open for dinner. You provided us with lunches, the lifeblood we needed to make a newspaper on deadline with three hours of sleep, five cups of coffee, and about four computers that actually worked. I didn’t want to be greedy — as the great rock group Poison once sang, every rose has its thorn, even the most beautiful rose of all. In my heart, I knew we would never sample the sweet taste of carnitas past four o’clock, and I had made my peace with that. We all had.

Until one day, you announced you had extended your hours.

My joy upon hearing this news was quickly replaced by reckless, explosive anger when I learned you would remain open until 7 p.m. every day except the one day we needed you: Friday. Production day. Our day, Guadalupe.

I know I have no right to ask you to change this policy. Surely you’ve done your research and concluded that staying open late on Friday is not economically feasible — after all, the only kids on campus late Friday night either live here or have devoted their weekends to working on a campus newspaper barely anyone reads. Why stay open just for their sake, you may ask?

When I became editor-in-chief of this newspaper, I knew I would have to fight for my staff. For my paper. I knew there would be challenges, and that it would be up to me to advocate for the freedom of the press. And that includes the freedom to sample delicious, delicious burritos on Friday nights. It’s not an easy road — no one ever said that it would be. But at the end of the day, I know in my heart that it will all be worth it.

So I’m asking you, Guadalupe, to reconsider. I know our paper doesn’t always seem like much. We may struggle to appeal to our readers, and we may not always make the best choices. But at the end of the day, we’re passionate students who are working tirelessly to make a difference on this campus. And part of that difference is making sure that we, and all others at SFU, have access to your burritos on Friday nights.

Please remember that, the next time you close your doors early on a Friday night, that grumbling you hear isn’t just the sound of your ovens powering down. It’s the sound of all of our stomachs, yearning for a taste of freedom. A taste of Guadalupe.

Cordially,

Max Hill

Editor-in-Chief of The Peak

Get off Tinder and try love the old-fashioned way

By

EIC

-

January 25, 2016

0

[dropcap]I [/dropcap]remember when ‘90s TV shows used to made fun of matchmaking services. They would show various scenes of men introducing themselves in their best outfits to potential mates that left my braces-laden teeth exposed as I sat cringing, wondering if people really took part in those dating videos.

Now that I’m all grown up (and with straight teeth!) I find myself, and the majority of my friends, signed up for the online version of these dating technologies. It is no longer taboo to use dating apps for help finding someone to get to know, but is this advancement necessarily a good thing?

Various dating apps make it easier to find people who are close to you that are — more often than not — single. Some argue it’s taking all the fun out of dating. Countless couples now have stories in which they openly admit meeting on Tinder. Or better yet, they come up with a half–assed lie, remarking that they met at The Keg. Some people even go on to get married. Are we all going to be 80 years old telling our grandchildren that we met their grandpa or grandma by swiping right?

The concept of talking to someone based almost entirely on his or her pictures is allowing us to become more superficial than before. To compare and contrast men and women’s dating habits on Tinder, it has been found that women are very selective, declining nearly every opportunity, whereas men barely even look and swipe right until a match is formed. Is selecting a partner based entirely on the quality of a few pictures really an adequate way to approach dating?

Without these apps, however, one really has to put oneself out there to swing a date. Tom Greaves, a man in Britain, documented his adventures in approaching women on the streets to ask them out on dates in The Daily Mail. Most women laughed and declined, not because they were being rude, but because they seemed almost embarrassed.

A personal friend of mine admits she appreciates when someone puts the effort in the traditional way. She tries to make the experience positive for both parties while being polite and courteous to the one putting themselves on the line. I since have adopted this ideal and if someone has the gusto to appropriately approach me on the street, I give them the benefit of the doubt and don’t simply blow them off. If women keep rejecting men in the physical realm, why would there be any reason to keep trying?

No matter how you feel about dating apps, the truth is that everyone is using them now. Once a technology is put in place, it’s very hard to retract it. I doubt anyone would be in favour of the messenger pigeon in a time when the telephone took off.

That being said, I think it’s important to uphold the sanctity of actual spontaneous human interaction. You never know who you’re going to meet when you turn off your phone and leave the house, and it is guaranteed to result in a better story than “Oh, we met on Tinder!”

Sean Molle: perseverance on and off the mat

By

EIC

-

January 25, 2016

0

WEBSIZED-Sean-Lisa Dimyadi — A redshirt junior, Molle has one more year left of eligability.

Wrestling is a unique sport, and requires a unique set of skills. It is like golf, highly individualistic, but much more physically demanding. It is as physically taxing as football or rugby, but you sink or swim entirely on your own abilities.

Sean Molle possess all these attributes. He wrestles in the heavyweight class, has an impressive mentor who has taught him how to come back from two different injuries, and has become an integral part of the SFU wrestling team.

“Sean is a pleasure to coach because he is super committed to the sport,” said his coach Justin Abdou. “He will do anything you ask him to do, and of all the heavyweights I’ve coached, he’s one of the most committed to fitness. He runs hard with the team, he’s good shape, [and] he can push the pace.

“He’s got a youthful energy. He’s like a big kid. He’s someone that everybody likes, and he’s a good teammate.”

“The first time I was out for six months,” said Sean to The Peak about his injury. “The second time I was out for nine months. [The first one] was during a practice. I just twisted it the wrong way and the knee popped. The second time was during a match.”

Molle started wrestling in high school, and hasn’t looked back. “My junior high coach got me into it, and I had had some family ambition to get into it. I thought it would be something to try out.”

Family ambition is an understatement. Molle’s father, Robert Molle, was an extremely accomplished wrestler, competing for SFU in the 1980’s and winning four NAIA championships, and also winning a Silver Medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“Oh yeah. He shows it all the time,” said Sean commenting on his Father’s Silver Medal. “The match is on YouTube and I’ve seen it multiple times. I’ve seen multiple videos of him wrestling.

“I [learned] a lot from him, and he did teach me a lot so I tried to take advantage of that.”

Molle tried to follow in his father’s footsteps by playing football here at SFU as well. Robert was a dual sport athlete, and actually went on to play in the CFL, winning two Grey Cups with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“I tried out for defensive line, and then they put me on the offen- sive line. But I think I was a little too small to compete for offensive line,” said Sean. “I thought I could try it out. But it was too much work, especially with school. I wasn’t enjoying it, so I just put my eggs in one basket.”

“We are at the mats probably five times a week, probably six times depending if we have a tournament.”

That is because school for a wrestler is a unique balancing act. Unlike sports such as football, basketball, or soccer — which all have a fair amount of home games — wrestlers compete primarily on the road. Of the 23 meets that the men’s wrestling team will participate in, only two are in Burnaby. This means many nights on the road travelling and away from school.

“Being on the road you kind of have to just pick and choose,” explained Sean. “You have to make sure you’re done your assignment before you leave, because you’re not going to get much work done on the road, and you’re not going to have WiFi everywhere you go. You’re going to have to make sure you’ve done all your readings or make sure they’re all saved on your computer.

“I usually try and avoid Friday classes, [. . .] and distance courses are always a must when it comes to being an athlete, especially on the road.”

Days where the team is not travelling are very demanding; it’s no wonder why distance courses are very valuable to any student athlete.

“We are at the mats probably five times a week, probably six times depending if we have a tournament,” explained Molle. “Monday we go hard, we run in the morning, and then practice in the afternoon. Tuesdays we usually go at 7 a.m, and then a lift in the afternoon. Then [it’s] the same thing for Wednesdays [as it is Monday], and Thursdays is the same thing as Tuesday. Friday is the same as Mondays [and] Wednesdays, or it’s usually a travel day for the tournament.”

Molle is also very happy about the International Olympic Committee reinstating wrestling for at least the next two Olympics. The sport was originally going to be out of the 2020 Olympics, but was reinstated after complaints from various groups.

“It’s great,” said Molle. “It’s another reason to compete. Wrestling is not a very professional sport; there’s not a lot of money involved. With football you get to go pro, with hockey there’s the NHL. In wrestling, the Olympics is a big deal. It’s the big show.”

With the Olympics as the ultimate benchmark for success, Sean hopes to become an All American for this season and win the NCAA in his final year next year.

Fun Fact

Sean’s pre match meal is half a dozen eggs. His favourite pump up song is “Molly” by Tyga.

Dear Dr. Breakup

By

EIC

-

January 25, 2016

0

Dear Dr. Breakup,

My partner of three years just dumped me for some shrimpy little hairball with a manbun. I don’t know how he could do this to me. Dmitri said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me when he drunk texted me from Cuba. I literally just got a tattoo of his name on my ankle, too. I feel like the world’s biggest idiot. Should I like try and go after him or should I spend my energy finding another man named Dmitri?

–Chad, 23

Dear Chad,

Your actions are proof alone that love makes idiots of the best of us. I would advise against going after Dmitri. Any person that finds a man bun sexy sounds basic as fuck. I would suggest putting your energy into brainstorming up something to cover up that tat. May I suggest a singing cheese burger?

– Dr. Breakup

Dear Dr. Breakup,

After New Year’s eve, I decided to cut ties with my boyfriend of six months. He was just too stupid. Like oh my god, I shouldn’t have to tell him to get me a chocolate bar when I want one — he should just know by, like, my mannerisms and body language and stuff. Now he’s like, calling me wanting to get back together and I don’t know what to do. Like he was really good in bed and stuff but he’s like just the biggest idiot I’ve ever met.

–Priscilla, 21

Dear Priscilla,

You’re a woman with high standards and you deserve nothing short of the best. In celebration of your new single status, I prescribe the “Basic B” spa day. It starts with you getting your alignment re-adjusted so your cranium will sink less within your anal cavity. It then finishes with an invigorating high colonic that will purge you of all that shit you’re full of.

Treat yourself and do it twice.

-Dr. Breakup

Dear Dr. Breakup,

My dirty rotten stupid douche canoe boyfriend just dumped me over facebook. He didn’t even have the cajones to do it over the phone or to my face. I can’t find the strength to get out of bed, I feel emotionally destroyed. My heart feels like a crushed beanie baby. I wish I were dead.

–Carol, 16

Dear Carol,

So do we.

–Dr. Breakup

Dear Dr. Breakup,

I’ve been so lonely since my youthful pool boy, Rodrigo, decided to leave me and go back to Honduras. I’ve just been beside myself in my big old mansion drinking chardonay all by lonesome. While I was going through my daughter’s room looking for her stash of weed brownies, I stumbled upon your column. Hmmm, I’ve never written to a doctor before 😉 It kind of sexy when you think about it. Are you single, Dr. Breakup? I would really like to get up on your operating table and get tested on my cardiovascular. 😉

XOXO

–Brandy Jay, 43

Dear Brandy Jay,

If you’re looking for cardio, walk your drunk ass in any direction that isn’t mine.

–Dr. Breakup

Feeling heartbroken? Book a diagnoses with Dr. Breakup today at [email protected]!

Opera Warriors explores traditional Chinese theatre

By

EIC

-

January 22, 2016

0

Opera Warriors, performed on January 5th and 6th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, was a well-executed production. It featured the athletic abilities of the performers, elaborate set design, detailed costuming, and beautiful lighting.

Set in China during the early 20th century, the story follows three brothers as they learn the art of classical Chinese dance. The plot focuses on the love between the youngest brother, Heidou, and the master’s daughter, and the reunion of the elder brother with a concubine. Ultimately, though, it tells of the glory of the youngest brother who reshaped Chinese theatrical performance.

Opera Warriors was presented as a “drama dance” and contained elements from the different styles of classical Chinese dance and theatre. It was largely accompanied by orchestral music and centred around the theatrical and athletic abilities of the performers, similar to ballet. The performance also utilized the structure of a “play within a play,” where the characters would perform “on stage” within the performance itself.

In one scene, the eldest brother is performing “on stage,” while his childhood lover, the concubine, is watching from afar. As the scene progresses, the platform of the concubine moves closer to the “stage” of the eldest brother, and she enters “onstage” to dance with the elder brother. This moment merges the two characters and their different states of being, where one is living in reality while the other is living in a dream.

Despite the term ‘opera,’ the performance did not include the sort of “opera singing.” This is not surprising, as it is likely more difficult to comprehend without a fuller understanding of the Chinese operatic style. However, to aid in the understanding of what was occurring on stage, screens were set up at both ends of the stage and, prior to each act, displayed a summary of the act in English.

If there was one thing that may have detracted from the overall experience, it would have been the amount of history and symbolism integrated within the performance. As such certain aspects of Chinese theatre and dance were not fully explained. Yet, the performance provided enough information to create interest for the story, while withholding enough information that the audience, if interested, could easily conduct research into the subject of traditional Chinese Opera.

Lastly, the overemphasized emotions although excellent at certain moments in the performance, their continued use throughout may have been slightly over-dramatic in others. This coupled with the lack of subplot development gave the performance more of an action movie feeling than a theatrical one.

Despite these shortcomings, Opera Warriors showed a glimpse into the culture and wonder of Chinese theatre. The story was easy to latch onto, and the viewer was able to follow the splendid dancing, that moved with the ebb and flow of the orchestral music. Overall, it was an excellent performance to have witnessed.

New Music Friday

By

Peak Web

-

January 22, 2016

0

By: Sarah Finley, Courtney Miller, Zach Siddiqui, and Jessica Whitesel

Check out and follow The Peak‘s Spotify account for the latest New Music Friday picks.

Heading Home (Gryffin Josef Salvat)

Jessica Whitesel: This is a great song. I feel like I should be doing something wild and free. Like being in a beer commerical around a campfire, just not giving a fuck with my besties.

Sarah Finley: Paired with pretty piano chords, the lyrics have a very “I don’t give a fuck what they say” vibe, which would usually annoy me, but if you can look past that, it would be a good song to introduce your fellow hipster friends to. The mild bass drop makes it a great song for a nighttime drive playlist.

Courtney Miller: Love the musicality, particularly at the beginning. But then it gets a bit boring in the middle where it bounces between ‘80s pop and modern dance pop.

Zach Siddiqui: Upbeat and fun with an interesting, almost eerie undercurrent. I can totally envision this playing in my head the next time I have a film-worthy cathartic epiphany while bussing in the rain.

Love is Blind (Låpsley)

JW: I love the feel of this song. It reminds me of driving through the interior of BC in the summer just becoming one with your car and the road. It kind of disappears into the background but in a good way. The lyrics are repetitive, but that doesn’t really matter with the feel of the song.

SF: The vocals are soft and gentle (and I think the lead singer has a slight accent? which is really rad to listen to), with calm and romantic, yet simultaneously sad, lyrics. It’s repetitive, but I think any modern song that can effectively employ the use of a harp automatically deserves 10/10.

CM: I actually really liked this. The music really escalated with a great vocal range and groovy pop riffs. Would definitely listen to this again — and the xylophone is wicked.

ZS: An “emotional-Swiss-knife” tune that matches a number of emotions based on how you’re feeling when you listen to it. Refined and ultra-pretty!

Spirits (The Strumbellas)

JW: This song is just so damn catchy. More than once I almost started singing in a crowded office; I managed to stay under control, but it was hard. The lyrics might not match the upbeat nature of the song, but honestly, it doesn’t bother me. The balance between the two is nice.

SF: The lyrics and beat for this track are super catchy, meaning I definitely was bouncing around in my pajamas whilst applying mascara (bouncing + mascara isn’t a good combination, mind you). All in all, it was very happy-go-lucky, with, “We’re young, let’s go have fun even though we’re all sad!” lyrics.

CM: Although the vocalist sounds strained at times, it adds to the indie-alt feel of the tune. If you like Foster the People, you’ll probably like this.

ZS: Cheery rhythms blended with some mildly perturbing lyrics. I’d sing this in the street at 11 o’clock at night to add to my energetic, mysterious aesthetic.

Pleasure Drive (The Jezabels)

JW: Instantly I was taken to some strange ‘80s/’90s video game. Down with the plink. I feel like if they worked more with grungy or classic rock sounds, this song could have done something for me, but the plinking makes me think my computer is broken. Also the end is just strangely loud.

SF: I feel like a loser for having the first song explicitly about sex be the first one that I didn’t like as much, but it just didn’t do that much for me. It’s dark and sexy, but repetitive. The lyrics (not literally) scream “I’m super cute, but also hella bad — in a good way — in bed.” She’s ready to sex you up.

CM: The music is reminiscent of the Mission Impossible theme, but the vocals on top of that are spot on. It starts off a little sensual, a little sultry, and then takes turns at being a rocker with awesome harmonies.

ZS: This is the theme song of all the hypothetical dramatic life moments where I dethrone monarchs, execute flawless insults against my lifelong enemies, and get my revenge against the girl who ruined my boots last Friday.

Sleeperhead (Beach Baby)

JW: It’s not a bad song, but it’s not a fresh song either. I feel like I’ve heard it before more than once, but like back in the ‘90s or something like that, not recently. So while not a bad song, it’s not special enough to remember.

SF: Definitely a beach jam, as the name of the artist implies. Wishy guitar patterns pair with drowned out vocals to carry the song. Not a unique sound by any means, but still very rich and worth listening to.

CM: This song has awesome bass, and though I wasn’t a fan of the vocals at first, they grew on me. If you want a head banger, this is your best bet.

ZS: Ultra-chill energy. Dance it out to this song, even if it delays finishing your homework by anywhere from five minutes to one-hundred-eighty minutes — but not more, because sleep is important. #getthatREM.

Catman (Miike Snow feat. Yoko Ono)

JW: Miike Snow yes, Yoko Ono not so much. I don’t know what this is. I feel like I entered into some sort of art piece that uses sound, I just don’t have the visuals to go with it. The “oo oo oo” parts are super weird, and I just can’t with this song.

SF: Usually I love Miike Snow, but this song starts out all over the place. The lyrics are bizarre and it sounds like something straight out of a video-game in an arcade. Strangely I liked the end of the song more than the beginning, but all throughout there’s whistling, and I can never quite tell what the lyrics are saying.

CM: It starts by sounding like a rocket ship taking off to the tune of an old Konami video game that just won’t bloody turn off. And I don’t mean that in a good way.

ZS: Suddenly, I’m seeing in pixels and existing as a character in a ‘90s video game? What? This is cool. Is this what drugs feel like? (DISCLAIMER: Drugs aren’t cool. Especially not codeine.)

Unstoppable (Sia)

JW: This is sounds like a classic Sia song, but what saves it are the lyrics. I can see it becoming my new Monday morning jam. It makes you feel like you can conquer anything, including leaving bed on Mondays.

SF: Sia’s “Breathe Me” was on my Freshman year emo playlist, and her unique voice is definitely recognizable in any song she sings. This song is like the recovery from “Breathe Me,” with lyrics like “I don’t need batteries today / I’m unstoppable today.”

CM: I haven’t listened to a lot of Sia, but the powerful, flawless vocals in combo with the varied synth track was a great match. Love it when synth does more than merely exist for the sake of existence.

ZS: For days when you’re angry and alone in bed and want to rise up and crush the current world order. This is, like, your pump-up tune.

Why Wait (Griefjoy)

JW: This song grew on me. When it first started playing was like, “Ugh, no. why?” But the longer I listened to it the more I began to like it. It still won’t be my most favourite song, but it doesn’t make me want to rip my ears off either, so that’s always a good thing.

SF: High vocals singing sad lyrics to an upbeat tempo and energetic rhythm leave me wondering if this is supposed to be melancholic or happy. They seem like the type of band that would offer to have beers with the audience following their show.

CM: I found this one really repetitive, like okay dude, move on past “How would I know which way to go.” The music was great and if I could find an instrumental version I’d be all over that, but lyrically, the best bit was the bridge.

ZS: I feel ready to convert my sadness to a new renewable energy source and get my shit together when I hear this.

Gone (Day Wave)

JW: This song was good until it reached the point of the neverending end. We get it: they are gone, and now you should be to. Songs, like breakups, have a logical end, and dwelling on either is bad for everybody involved.

SF: Classic melancholic breakup song. While I started out really liking the cool, relaxed, slow vocals and the repetitive percussion and instrumentals in the background (the type of sad song I love listening to), eventually in the song this should end.

CM: Honestly this song was pretty ‘meh.’ Nothing really stood out as special or unique. It blended into the wallpaper.

ZS: This is me, getting dragged with a cool beat and strangely appropriate lyrics. A fraction of my life anxieties in a rad little package.

Malt Liquor (Lewis Del Mar)

JW: This song makes me think of drinking malt liquor. It starts out really well, then some weird things happen in the middle, it goes back to sort of normal near the end, but there are still strange leftover feelings and distorted memories from the weird middle part. Then it ends, and you feel like you should remember more about what happened, but you just can’t.

SF: The song starts off as really lovely, with beautiful vocal intonations and piano, but two minutes in the percussion goes wild, the vocals are distorted, and I’m not really sure what’s happening. And as quickly as it started, it ends. While I want to respect this decision to break the mold, it didn’t really work for me.

CM: This one may have been my fave — the bass drop and synth intro was perfect. And the build of the music was great, the layering of guitar, then piano, then percussion. Nice.

ZS: Alluringly disordered at times and otherwise a generally entrancing rhythm. Dig this, hard.

Carpet Diamonds (Modern Space)

JW: I love this song. There is just something about the guitar pattern, the lyrics and the way it is sung. All broken apart these components would make an average song at best, but in this song they make something magical.

SF: This song has a cool guitar pattern covered by strumming of a single note over and over again. The vocals are fairly soulful, but still don’t compare to their cover of “High by the Beach.”

CM: This was a rockin’ fun, upbeat sing-along-song with awesome guitar.

ZS: Happy and free, and reminds me of the summer sky! Just a few months to go until a quarter-year of rosy days. . .

Perfect Tense (Fallulah)

JW: This song is pretty generic. But that doesn’t mean I’m not feeling it. There is a weird video game sounding part, but then it ends. It adds personality to the song, before it picks up again, like they knew you would get bored of it before it reached it’s natural conclusion.

SF: While admittedly a basic electric pop formula with lyrics that any real music snob would criticize, this is a light-hearted sound with ascending riffs and a synth in the background that reminds me of going on drives in my hometown on the way to my favorite teahouse.

CM: Super catchy, poppy, and melodic. Vocals were top notch — and the lyrics let you know that if you fuck up, it’s no big deal, because, “All that matters is we get back up.”

ZS: I want to stroll through a busy metropolis and part the crowds to make way when I hear this! Solid work.

First Nations art shines at Vancouver Art Gallery

By

EIC

-

January 21, 2016

0

3 Vets 8x10.tif — Christos Dikeakos, *The Room, Three Vets*

First Nations Artwork is a defining feature of British Columbia, and also a portion of the larger, often troubled relationship with Indigenous peoples in the province. The Gund Collection: Contemporary and Historical Art from the Northwest Coast and NEXT: Christos Dikeakos, which are on exhibit until January 31st at the Vancouver Art Gallery, provide a brief but interesting look at our relationship to First Nations Artwork.

The two exhibits occupy the three exhibition rooms on the fourth floor of the Vancouver Art Gallery, and though they are presented as separate exhibits they both occupy the middle room, effectively drawing the two exhibits together.

The first room contains modern day carvings, bronzes and masks from the Northwest coast, with a large number of Robert Davidson works. The second room contains the historical pieces in the Gund collection which are primarily drawn from the turn of the 19th century.The last room, meanwhile, contains six additional photographs and Dikeakos’ collection of Northwest coast baskets.

Dikeakos’ photographs engage with First Nations artwork from an outside perspective, while the Gund collection features indigenous artists of the past and present. The two exhibits provide a small but multifaceted look at First Nations art.

They explore tensions surrounding the capture, collection, and cultural exchange of objects and artworks.For Indigenous peoples, including those of the Northwest coast, these tensions are centred on the issues of cultural preservation, appropriation, and development. Many Indigenous communities are beginning the process of preserving and reviving traditional art forms as a direct response to these colonial actions.

NEXT and The Gund Collection reference this tension as historical artworks and artifacts traditionally associated with the anthropological museum, are displayed in an art gallery. Doing so raises questions about their value, their context, and their future. The modern works in the Gund Collection continue the same traditions, types, and motifs of the historical works. They are part of the preservation and restoration of cultural practices in First Nations communities, while also being collected and exhibited in the same fashions as historical works.

Dikeakos explores this tension though his own collection of First Nations baskets — objects literally created for the purpose of collecting, organizing, and preserving other objects. His photography references the collection of artwork and artifacts by showing the relationships between cultural exchange and preservation. His photographs cover stores, an auction, the wilderness, and his workshop. All of which are spaces for First Nations cultural creation, collection and exchange.

NEXT and The Gund Collection work together to raise questions around how we exchange, capture, and preserve First Nations art works. The absence of a visible new future for First Nations artworks in both exhibits raises an important question surrounding First Nations art — once it has been preserved and revitalized as cultural practice, where will it go?

Seeds docudrama tours Lower Mainland

By

EIC

-

January 21, 2016

0

Seeds, Eric Peterson cred Guntar Kravis — 70-year-old Percy Schmeiser (Eric Peterson) takes Monsanto head on.

The Peak had an opportunity to chat with Annabel Soutar about her play Seeds. When she first heard about Percy Schmeiser’s legal battle against Monsanto in the Supreme Court of Canada, she was intrigued. It was 2003, and she travelled from Montreal to Ottawa to sit in on the court proceedings, being one of the only 58 people allowed to observe in the courtroom.

Monsanto had won a federal court case and a subsequent appeal, and Soutar began to see the story as a potential documentary play, she explained. “It’s a fun concept to explore through theatre — a 70-year-old farmer takes on a massive biotech company.” The case was a big deal, and people were taking note that a case about GMO seeds had made its way to a western high court. “There were people from as far away as Japan there,” said Soutar.

The case involved Monsanto accusing Schmeiser of patent infringement — planting their patented seeds without having signed a license agreement, and Schmeiser claimed that he now owned the patented seeds that had accidentally found their way onto his farm. With almost no way of finding conclusive evidence of how the seeds ended up in Schmeiser’s field, the ethical questions of whether it’s even right to patent a seed becomes the focus. Seeds raises the question of whether these ethical dilemmas trump questions about who tells the truth.

Soutar approached Schmeiser about doing a documentary play, and asked if she could visit his farm in Bruno, Saskatchewan (population 574 as of 2011). During late 2003 and through 2004, Soutar interviewed Percy and others involved with the case and pored over transcripts. Every word in the show is taken from those interviews and transcripts. As Soutar said, “Reality is often much stranger than fiction.”

She was surprised to find out that people in Saskatchewan saw things a bit differently. “People had credibility questions about Percy,” she explained. Things got more nuanced and complex as she delved into the story, and the play follows this evolution in the story as the audience is left to decide for themselves whose side they are on.

Schmeiser is played by Corner Gas star Eric Peterson. Director Chris Abraham already knew Peterson, but he was also cast for his authenticity — he is a Saskatchewanian and politically engaged, as Soutar explained, and it was important to have an actor with range that could be both a feisty farmer and a sophisticated international spokesperson. He has stayed with the show since its premiere in 2005, and his involvement has helped to draw attention to it.

Documentary plays can be challenging — this is the type of story that you would think might more easily lend itself to film, and in fact there was one made in 2009 called David vs. Monsanto, but with the right balance of information and drama the live reenactment is very powerful. The story also involves complex scientific and legal issues, and Soutar didn’t want to compromise those details. “I try not to dumb it down too much,” she said, “because I often think the devil is in the details.”

If Schmeiser had been successful in the Supreme Court, he would have essentially taken down Monsanto’s business plan. “It’s fun to keep telling this story,” said Soutar. “It happened in Canada, but it’s globally important.” These days, there is more awareness about genetically modified crops and many groups actively fighting to at least see mandatory labelling. Schmeiser, now 86, became a spokesperson for the movement, and he travels all over to tell his story.

Seeds is presented by Porte Parole at the Kay Meek Centre January 19–21, The ACT Arts Centre January 23, and the Surrey Arts Centre January 28–29.