ISS 12 (2006) OCT 17 - NOV 1
wHO : The Who
WHERE : GM Place
WHEN : Oct 8
Ten years ago, October 1996, I had my first concert experience. I was in grade 10 at the time and obsessed with all things classic rock. My brother had done his best to infuse me with some taste beyond the shit that was popular at the time and it worked. It made high school a bit difficult, but at least I had some musical class. The Who came into town with their rock-opera Quadrophenia and blew the fucking top off of GM Place. It was an experience unlike any I had imagined, and as a beginning bass player, watching John Entwistle fire up through a solo in the middle of 5:15 was nothing short of incredible ; like a rock wet dream.
A decade later and one more member of the band in the ground, The Who came roaring back to Vancouver on a new tour of both classic and new music in preparation for theirupcoming album on October 31st. Consisting of original members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, and filling in the rest of the band with Zack Starkey on drums (embodying
his uncle Keith Moon much more than his dad, Ringo), Simon Townshend on backup guitar, Pino Palladino replacing the late, great John Entwistle on bass, and John Bundrick on keyboards, they came out on stage with even more energy than they had mustered a decade earlier.
They immediately started in with “I Can’t Explain” and just motored through the set list from there, peppering new and old together and even giving us a taste of their new mini-rock opera, Wire and Glass, consisting of six mini songs. Of course one of the highlights of the show was after the mini-operawhen they immediately belted into “Baba O’ Riley”, easily one of their most popular pieces. The entire show was energetic from top to bottom, but therewere three show-stoppers : Who Are You, Baba O’Riley, and Won’t Get Fooled Again. Each of these tracks just murdered the audience with a ferocity thatno one expected from the aging group.
There were definitely staples of the night that were layered in rock history, like Roger whipping the microphone around him like it was an extra appendage and Pete pulling out the straight-arm windmill on the guitar. These moves, the sheer skill and showmanship of all this had the crowd eating out of the palms of their hands. What was particularly interesting was that in light of the changes the band has gone through, Pete has dramaticallyupped the ante on his playing, attacking the guitar in a manner and strength that he had not really shown before. It was electrifying (pardon the pun).
The new stuff was a bit uneven, but there was nothing that didn’t feel like a Who song. The licks just needed a bit of work and I could easily see anyone of them becoming as classic as any other track.
They may be pushing into their 60's and they may be only half of what they were originally, but The Who still put on a hell of a good show, and that coupled with the prevalence of their music on all three CSI programs means that a new generation is getting sucked into them just as much as the rest of us have been. Here’s hoping they don’t slow down anytime soon. *
Andrew Wilmot
Set List:-I Can’t Explain
-The Seeker
-Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
-Fragments
-Who Are You
-Behind Blue Eyes
-Real Good Looking Boy
-Sound Round
-Pick Up The Peace
-Endless Wire
-We Got A Hit
-They Made My Dream Come True
-Mirror Door
-Baba O’Riley
-Eminence Front
-Man In A Purple Dress
-Mike Post Theme
-You Better You Bet
-My Generation
-Cry If You Want
-Won’t Get Fooled Again
-Pinball Wizard
-Amazing Journey
-Sparks
-See Me Feel Me
-Tea And Theatre
Halloween is a very scary time. With ghosts, goblins, the undead and Harry Potters wandering the streets, we have every reason to be afraid. But it’s onlyone night and then the nightmare is over……or is it? This week, we look at two recent documentaries that portend to expose some truths about ourplanet and the people who make decisions about our future. With his last dying breath, Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), the mad soldier hunted inVietnam by Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) in the 1979 classic ‘Apocalypse Now’ whispered, “The horror….the horror.” Is this an apt description of theworld we have created? Is there time to affect change?
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (2006)
Since having the presidency stolen from him in 2002, Al Gore has been lecturing on a topic that he has researched extensively – global warming. He first became interested in planetary warming at university and has continued to pursue this path throughout his political career. This film documents one of his lectures, interspersed with footage of his life and times. If you have any interest in the topic (how could you not?), see this film. Gore displays graphically and with photographs, a historical overview of the changes happening on the planet and the projected effects. One of the most convincing scientific studies presented in this documentary is the measurement of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the past 650,000 years, extracted from the ice of Antarctica. The changes in the past 50 years are greater than any other time during that long period of our planet’s history.
The photos of receding glaciers and the ice disappearing from mountain tops is dramatic. He also debunks those who claim that the jury is still out on global warming, that the proof is questionable. As he says in the film, "There is no controversy about these facts. Out of 925 recent articles in peer-review scientific journals about global warming, there was no disagreement. Zero." Gore says that although there is "100 percent agreement" among scientists, a database search of newspaper and magazine articles shows that 57 percent of their articles question the fact of global warming, while 43 percent support it. These figures are the result, he says, of a disinformation campaign started in the 1990s by the energy industries to "reposition global warming as a debate." It is the same strategy used for years by the defenders of tobacco.
Although the changes on the planet and our weather systems are abundantly apparent, Al Gore remains optimistic. His message is that it is not too late to take action though we must take action now. He reminds us that the human population has been successful in tackling potentially devastating atmospheric conditions. He uses, as an example the disappearing ozone layer. The banning of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) in aerosol spray cans has eliminated that threat and demonstrates that mankind can act inunison when threatened. We can all get involved.
Running Time: 100 minutes
Four Stars out of Five
WHY WE FIGHT (2006)
In his final speech before completing his second term as president, President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned the nation that the greatest threat to freedom and liberty in the United States was the vast military-industrial complex. He suggested in very direct terms that the government must reign in this organization before it becomes too powerful. It was a speech that has proven to be both prescient and true. Directed by Eugene Jarecki, this documentary film outlines the growth of the military in the U.S. and how the U.S. has built and maintains over 200 military bases throughout the world. Eisenhower warned that there was a possibility of the country being placed on a permanent war footing. The ‘War on Terror’ is as close to permanent as Eisenhower imagined.
The film-makers remind us that many U.S. conflicts were not defensive operations. The U.S. military did march into Grenada, Panama and now Iraq as an offensive force, not defensive. It also tackles the fact that the Vietnam war, much like Iraq, was ignited on a lie. And it outlines how the U.S. congress votes for military spending because the people in the various districts that are home to military industry do not want to lose the jobs created by building weapons. One can only question the military’s motives and operations when the, now retired, Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski, states that she would not want her children to join the military. She resigned from the Pentagon because she witnessed military officers being vetoed by outside consultants whose loyalty was to the defense contractors who employed them.
The film asks probing questions about the motives behind military decisions and presents information that leads you to make your own conclusion. Is the machine so big and the economy so tied into it, that creating war is necessary to provide the fuel to keep it going. Many of the ideas in this documentary have been seen before. Jarecki is effective in pulling together all of the parts in a convincing and passionate documentary.
Running Time: 98 minutes
Three and a half stars out of five
Allan Stanleigh
Fall Trends 2006 : What to buy to update your wardrobe
The fashion cycle continues to roll along. This fall the eighties fashion revival continues. This season is all about extremes with supersize fashion being the name of the game. Leggings, oversized sweaters, volume, bold prints and heavy layering are all in vogue. While everyone remembers the wildness and colour of the eighties this trend was counterbalanced by the sobriety and seriousness in business as North America enjoyed an economic boom. This was integrated into fashion through menswear inspired pieces and shapes that underscored a sense of toughness in women’s fashion. This is a far more sophisticated and stylish approach to an era that prided itself on extremes.
Bottoms
There is no middle ground when it comes to pants and trousers this season. The silhouette varies from the painted on look of leggings and skinny jeans to oversize menswear inspired trousers.The skinny jean remains in favor and provides context for the larger shapes. This shapeliness is also attained through accessories such as belts and Obi style waist cinchers.Leggings are a layering staple and are especially useful so one can continue wearing the minis and shorts from the summer. This look is a low cost way to update your wardrobe and allow those who are not such a fan of their legs can partake in the mini styles in dresses favored this season.Conversely the other shape for bottoms is excessive volume. This volume can be seen in detailing in collars and sleeves as well as in the overall silhouette creating shapes such as the cocoon, the tulip and the bubble. Lots of fabric creates a slouchy and casual look that becomes more structural with the addition of pleats and darts as seen on theMarc Jacobs runway.
The Schoolgirl Fantasy
Designers have had fun this season interpreting the innocence and sexiness of the school girl uniform. Short pleated skirt, tunics, button up shirts, bloomers, plaids and pinstripes have been turning up on the runways. Mix these pieces with basics and more grown up pieces to avoid looking like you just stumbled off the school playground. The look is young. Not illegal.
Tummy Tuck
With oversize fashion and voluminous silhouettes it is easy to get lost in a sea of clothes. The trick is to find the proper balance by showing the right amount of skin and creating some proportionality. This is done by belting in looser styles at the waist. The days of the one-inch zipper, bum cleavage are gone as are the hip grazing peasant skirts of the bohemian trend. The rise is higher and this cut emphasizes a woman’s femininity and seems to appear every 30 years are so. (1950s, 1980s and now)
Colours
This seasons colour palate is somber and neutral comprised of beiges, whites, creams, greys, browns and of course black. Look sophisticated and glamourous by dressing monochromatically or add a hint of a rich colour (especially by the face) for a bolder look. Colour favorites for Fall 06 are heavily saturated and regal colours such as teal, purpleand red.
Prints
Prints add a much needed sense of life and fun to an outfit. Plaids and animal prints are two to of the designer favorites this year. Just don’t go too over the top. Too much of any print looks dizzying, not sexy.
Hats
Once again the supersize trends works from bottom to top. All kinds of hats are popular this season from floppy J.Lo style hats with dresses, heavy knit caps and apparently visors (but here in chilly Canada…I don’t buy it).
Accessories
No longer will bags outweigh their owners. Bags have shrunk and it appears that I will no longer be able to carry around the contents of my entire apartment in my purse. Mini has been maximized by such design houses like Channel, Fendi and Louis Vuitton and achieves a slicker, more streamline (but slightly less practical) look.
So how does one interpret these trends without blowing the bank? Invest in a few durable and variable pieces that can be mixed and matched with your current wardrobe.
Some suggestions
- ankle length booties or a very slim knee length boot
- an oversize sweater dress or sweater coat
- one pair of slim pants such as a skinny jean, cigarette pants
or leggings
- one pair of slouchy oversized trousers
- colourful or patterned tights
- a thick leather belt
- a hat
Jaime Shulman
The Wizard Lord
By Lawrence Watt-Evans
The Wizard Lord faces the nearly impossible task of ruling an entire world on his own and keeping the unjust and power hungry from gaining control. But what is there to stop the Wizard Lord himself from going rogue? They are known as The Chosen- eight mortals who are bestowed with magical abilities that give them the power to remove a Wizard Lord from power, by force if necessary, if he goes bad. In this fantasy novel by Lawrence Watt-Evans one of the Chosen is ready to retire and a young man from a small town takes up his sword.
The Wizard Lord is everything fans of fantasy look for in a book- medieval styled world, magic, swordplay and a dash of double crossing intrigue. However, some true fans of the genre might feel that it’s just more of the same old, same old. As the first in a series The Wizard Lord is a great start, and a good setup for books to come, there’s just not a whole lot to it when judged on it’s own. Overall, a good read that will make you wish the other books were out and it’s a great book to introduce new readers to the fantasy genre.*
Renee Mallett
20 Things you can do on a rainy day
by Charity West
1-Put all your plants outside to water them
2- Have sexy sex
3-Make a soup
4-Cuddle up in a ball of blankets with a sexy man...
or woman ...or both
5-Watch depressing French or film noir movies
6-Bundle up and take a walk along the beach
7-Make a peach and blueberry pie from fruit you gathered from the summer or from the frozen food section
8-Take a hot bath every time you get a chill
9-Call your friends in Ottawa and tell them it’s a really great sunny day here, even if it’s not
10- Write about how depressed you are
11-Write a feature film or two or three. Just keep writing until it stops raining
12-Steam up the windows in your car - with someone else, preferably
13-Sleep in and go to bed early
14-Listen to rain on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book
15-Jump in a puddle with clothes you don’t care about
16-Buy an old jacket and lay the same one down over and over again on puddles for women and old people.
17-Go flower picking
18-Do arts and crafts
19- Have a tickle fest
20-Get fat
FEAR OF CHOICE
Many a person’s life has been ruled by fear – the fear of disappointing their parents, the fear of being poor, the fear of being disrespected, and so on. In fact, one can say that fear is the greatest motivator there is. (Have you ever been chased by a bear? I bet you didn’t know you could run that fast!) Personally, I’m motivated by the fear of making the wrong choice. That doesn’t sound like much, but it whispers in my ear while I make breakfast, while I work, and while I watch TV; and it shouts when I make those damn “life choices” like choosing a school or a job.
Granted, this fear has made me very good at things I do every day – I now know that the right choice for breakfast is one that will keep me full but is healthy. Of course I’ll “break the rule,” but I don’t have to obsess over my choice. I’m great at my job, because I know in which order things should be done. As for TV, well, I have a problem committing to one show, in case something better is on some other channel. Seriously. And on bad “fear days,” the voice chides me for choosing “Project Runway” over actually being productive.
This motivation has always been with me. Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? Each page had a passage, and left you with a choice of pages to turn to – you were in control of the story. Well, I would make a choice, and if I didn’t like how things ended up, I would keep “rewinding” until I had the perfect story. I would flip through colouring books looking for the “perfect picture” for longer than I would actually colour for. Let’s just say I’m a freak.
Unfortunately, the fear never leaves me. I obsess about a choice until it is made, weighing the pros and cons, writing lists, asking for advice, and losing sleep over it. Then, once I actually commit to something, I worry about if it was the right choice for me. Can you see me deciding on marriage or children or my career of choice? My god, I don’t think I can
put you through all that!
Now that I have you all fully convinced of my need for counseling and/ or serious medication, let me pass my oft-used coping mechanisms to you. Perhaps someone out there can use them in times of extreme stress or when frozen between two choices.
1) Read anything. A book totally unrelated is best. Granted, this is escapism. But sometimes distance helps.
2) Make a list. I love lists. Doing the pros and cons of something is always a good idea.
3) Call a friend, talk to your mother, whatever. Often, perspective is all you’ll need. “Carolyn – It is 32 degrees out! Put the pants down!” (This technique also works for larger
decisions…)
4) If all else fails, call your party-friends, and make them take you out. Trust me, a bottle of wine and a few shots of Sambuca later, everything will make sense.
I am not a freak. In fact, I think I am one step ahead of those that don’t know what motivates them. I know I obsess because it is my nature to, and I’m okay with that. When I’m really stressed out, I can stop and ask myself “is this really worth the worry?” and if its not… I can stop. Really. I can stop any time I want to… *
Carolyn Sapach
Thai Away Home Express
43 E 5 Ave, Vancouver BC
Being quite the stranger to Thai food, I wasn't;t sure what to expect when I set foot in the newest addition to the Thai Away chain. The decor is very nice ; fiery red painted walls, wicker wrapped ceiling fans and even a rock with bamboo centerpiece with glass painted flowers on an table for eight.
There is a variety of entrees including BBQ Chicken, Chicken wish cashews and Pineapple fried rice all ranging in price from $5.95-$7.95. They have a weekly special which this week consisted of an extra large (16oz up from 12oz) Yellow Curry with potato and chicken, rice and salad for $7.95. This is what I had and it was delicious. As far as curries go, you generally get a choice of yellow, red or green curry with potato, eggplant or squash and brown or white rice (you even get a choice between sweet onion or chili lime dressing for your salad) and of course your protein; beef, chicken or tofu.
The drink menu consists of the usual cooler drinks plus some yummy additions like Jahe Wang Ginger and Chrysanthemum teas, fresh coconut juice and tropical smoothies. Of course there is dessert too! Mango and Tapioca puddings along with banana sticky rice and coconut ice cream puts a creative twist on after meal treat time.
Thai Away Express is not just an eatery, it is also a great way to take the menu home with you and add your own flare to it. Meals in Minutes are pre-packaged menu items that can be taken home, heated up and ta-da! you've got some beautiful stuff in no time. As well as food, Thai Away sells cooking essentials such as 25oz bottles of chili sauce, coconut milk and even green tea.
The presentation of the food is not what one may think, walking into a counter service restaurant. Everything is served on bright glass plates and garnished to look incredibly lovely. Two days after I ate here I passed another location and it brought a smile to my face. I will definitely eat there again and you should too.
Service : ****
atmosphere : ****
food : ****
final grade : A
Memphis Blues
1342 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC
A friend suggested we go here because he was in the mood for BBQ. I had never been here but he seemed to enjoy his last experiences. I actually walked right past this place when I was trying to find it because it was far from what I was expecting. It was very casual, with chair-to-booth seating and the radio playing in the background. The waitress came up and brought us two waters...two waters size appropriate for pixies. It was unclear as to how we were supposed to order since the waitress asked us about our drinks but walked away when we wanted to order, telling us to go to the counter.
Every now and then a name was yelled from the counter, " MARK!" and a Mark would get up only to be stopped by a waitress " That's OK, I've got it." It was our turn yet no waitress was moving. So my friend got up but was stopped like Mark " That's OK, I've got it." So is the cook yelling at the waitress to brings us our food or is the cook yelling at the customers? I was confused, I think we all were.
We ordered a pulled pork sandwich and a sausage sandwich. The pulled pork was described on the menu as " a pork butt that is pulled apart." It was apparently good though! It came with seasoned fries that were really salty. My sandwich came with baked beans and coleslaw. I ate it but all it was, was sliced sausage smothered in HP on a cold
hamburger bun.
The meals cost about $9.00 each and rather than napkins on the table, they each have a roll of paper towel. This is more of a group affair than anything else. Unless I am far from
sober, I won't go back.
service : **
atmosphere : **
food : **
final grade : C
The Broadway Grill
2576 W Broadway, Vancouver BC
604.731.4111
I love this place! I started going here early this year just a few months after it first opened. The serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and never fail to impress me with the delicious food and fast service.
The decor is really cute with your choice of booths or tables and the dim lighting at nighttime makes it a cozy romantic place to have your dinner. They are open 9am - 4pm Sunday thru Tuesday and 9am - 9pm Wednesday on. The menu consists of everything from eggs Benny and several superb omelets in the morning to super tasty sandwiches for lunch and there is always a new mouthwatering dinner special each night usually including an delicious meat with pasta dish.
Recommendations? Anything from the Veggie quesadilla with feta cheese and eggplant and mushrooms to the Sicilian sausage appy served with onions, mushrooms, peppers and toasted bread.
The menu ranges from $6.95 - $14.95 and honestly, you could get half the amount of food or pay twice as much as this and still be happy.
service : ***1/2
atmosphere : ****
food : ****
final grade : A
Laura V
Logo : Steff Valor
WHO SAID A MEET MARKET WAS A BAD THING?
You and your friend arrive and go straight to the bar for some shooters (A.K.A liquid courage). Feeling hopeful, excited, and a little ill because it’s been a while since you’ve done shooter’s, you scope the bar for your prey. Hmm, no one yet. You do a lap, and do another shot. This goes on for another 2 hours, and finally you find someone who will “do” and either score their number, or go home with them… Not exactly how you planned on meeting Mr. (or Mrs.) Right?
For decades, single people have been dying to find a way to meet people outside of the bar scene. The bar is a great way to meet Mr. (or Mrs.) Right-Now, when you are into getting drunk, and having a little too much fun (dancing on the table, waking up wondering how the hell you got home, where the hell that cute little bra you had on went (or who belongs to this cute little bra) , and who the hell that is beside you. However, once you have responsibilities, a career, a routine, and don’t like to drink anymore (a few too many broken down golf-cart shots at that last wedding really put you off the sauce!) where do you go besides the church, and that lovely gentleman (or gentlewoman) your Grandma thinks would look great with you? There is a way; an innovative way, an exciting and adventurous way.
Meet Market Adventures (www.meetmarketadventures.com) embodies a concept that allows singles to meet and mix in a fun, casual and active setting. It’s a great way to meet people who have similar interests. But wait, there’s more! This isn’t your average run of the mill dating service, because it’s no dating service at all! This is simply a social club! No cheesy gimmicks or awkward speed dates! Just pure unadulterated adventures and activities in which all the attendees are single leaving endless possibilities!
Although it is only 2 weeks old in Vancouver, the Meet Market Adventure group has been around for 6 years. It started in Toronto, then opened in New York, Ottawa, and now Vancouver with are many other locations to come. The greatest part about this social club is that if you travel a lot, chances are, there will be an event you can attend wherever you go!
Laura James, the Vancouver Franchise Events Manager says her favorite local event is Wine Making. Not only do you get to mingle with great people, but you leave with 6 bottles of wine! If you check out their website, you will see a Chocolate Making night!! I never thought I would say this, but man, I wish I was single for just one night (I can see it now, “Lisa and the Chocolate Factory!” sans those creepy oompa loompa’s).
What I find fantastic about this group is that it is not limited to local events. Ever wanted to go mountain biking in Utah, or hike Machu Picchu in Peru, but had no one to go with?
Well now you do!!! There are hundreds of people in their network, who love to get out there and do stuff, and the best part is, you don’t have to squeeze into your tiniest jeans to meet people.
I know it can be hard to meet people in Vancouver, I hear we are a cold bunch of bitches (or bastards)… My suggestion is to be picky where you prowl, never over fish the same pool and understand that rejection is never about you, its about the idea of you, which in 2 seconds of conversation probably isn’t the real you anyway. So, the next time someone says, man, I just can’t meet someone in Vancouver, your response will be, “ah but have you tried Meet Market Adventures?” Good luck and happy hunting! *
Lisa Powell
INTELLIGENCE
Tuesdays, 9PM
CBC
Intelligence, the new dramatic series from Vancouver’s Chris Haddock, proves definitively that Haddock has the goods to offer up a Canadian television drama and compete equally with the spectrum of the new fall television dramas produced north of the border.
His follow-up to the much-acclaimed Davinci’s Inquest reveals that his talents satisfy all existing standards for exciting drama. Those dictated by well-drawn characters coupled with intriguing, interesting and forward moving storylines. These are things Haddock clearly knows how to accomplish.
He also knows how to cast his characters. Haddock’s Intelligence, casts Ian Tracey as likeable gangster Jimmy Reardon, whose business interests lie in the world of cocaine and heroin distribution with a storyline that, from the get-go, puts you in his corner in spite of perhaps disapproving of his business ethics. Actor Klea Scott aptly demonstrates his counterpoint, organized crime unit head Mary Spalding, through tightly woven doses of reserve for the work at hand and indulgent exposure to her own personal demons. Their relationship leads you to believe these two opposing forces have an underlying respect for one another in spite of being polar opposites on the bandwidth of right or wrong.
The one to watch out for is Jimmy’s brother Michael, played with exacting creepiness by Bernie Coulson. He promises to be the fly in the ointment. The screw-up who can’t help himself and will probably take down everyone around him in his quest to insert himself wherever he can in order to score the most points, irregardless of who he hurts along the way.
Vancouver’s Penthouse nightclub, built in the 1940’s, provides the backdrop for Reardon’s Chickadee strip club - not unlike the Soprano’s BADA BING.
This is the setting that allows for brother Michael’s Shakespearean-like character to fester and boil as he interferes with Reardon’s slowly crumbling empire. It’s the one business venue that Jimmy is willing to extend to his brother, wrongly believing that it allows for the least amount of intrusion by loose-cannon Michael into his business interests.
Et tu Brutus?
Watch it to find out. *
Devorah MacDonald
OVEN BAKED COOKIE
KRISTIN KREUK
Where is she from? She plays Lana Lang in Smallville ; a show i never watched but is now in syndication so I catch it from time to time...usually in mute while I am working on other things. She is a Vancouver girl! And before becoming lil miss lucious, she was planning to study psychology so you know she's a smarty pants as well as gorgeous.
She comes from Dutch and Indonesian parents and turned out to be a total doll. Personal quote?
"Just because I don't do bad things doesn't mean I don't have bad thoughts." Yeow!
She'll be popping up everywhere soon...aside from every " sexiest women" list out there.
...Ok and along with Tom Welling she made up part of one of the sexiest TV couples ever.*
update : she came into my work and I told her she was one of our cookies... she giggled and thanked us!