Monthly Volume 1 Issue 6 The West Kootenay’s Entertainment Guide
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OCTOBER EDITION 2014
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The Nelson Star, 514 Hall Street, Nelson BC
Phone:
250.352.1890
Email:
editor@nelsonstar.com creative@nelsonstar.com Publisher: Karen Editorial: Kevin, Will, Sales: Tara, Kiomi, Lisa, Christine Circulation: Liz Office Administrator: Cheryl {vurb} is published monthly by Black Press. The points of views or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of {vurb}
more online www.nelsonstar.com Facebook.com/KootenayVurb Twitter.com/Kootenay Vurb
Features 2
Mask Exhibit
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Events
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Drinks
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Fashion
SELKIRK TRIO
Photo © Rod Wilson
Now in its fourth season, Selkirk Pro Musica is presenting an exciting 2014-2015 concert season of music for audiences in Nelson and the surrounding communities. This new series will offer programming to suit all listening tastes with six concerts running October through March. Season highlights include the sweet voice and Celtic fiddling of award-winning Canadian vocalist and songwriter Lizzy Hoyt, up and coming virtuosi violin-harp duo Rebecca MacLeod and Sophie Baird-Daniel, the eclectic talent of extraordinary keyboard artist Gilles Parenteau, the virtuosic and versatile Victoria based string quartet, Die Mahler, and an exciting new music concert offered by members of Calgary’s contemporary music ensemble Land’s End Duo joined by local musicians for an evening of 20th and 21st century music. The new season opens on October 6 at 7:30 p.m. in St. Saviour’s Pro Cathedral Church on Ward Street in Nelson. The Kootenay based Selkirk Trio, featuring pianist Sue Gould from Golden, along with cellist Jeff Faragher and clarinetist Nicola Everton, both from Nelson will be performing.
WELCOME TO THE REGIONAL {VURB} {vurb} will showcase the many local West Kootenay events that are happening around you. Get ready for editorial on events, food, fashion and technology. {vurb} covers the latest and upcoming events in the arts and entertainment industry. To submit editorial for the November edition, email editor@nelsonstar.com before October 22.
The trio will reach beyond their traditional classical roots to include contemporary works, as well as jazz and Celtic favourites. “We’d like to give this program a bit of a twist,” said Everton, who will be throwing her hand in for a rendition of Artie Shaw’s famous Jazz Concerto. The program also features the premiere of a work for cello and piano by Nelson composer Doug Jamieson. Tickets are $15 available at Otter Books or at the door. ••••• Selkirk Pro Musica is also excited to premiere a series of school concerts and Master classes, funded by the BC Touring Council Youth Engagement Program, which will be held throughout the Kootenay Lake School District. The first school concert, featuring the Selkirk Trio on October 7, and will be hosted by the Nelson Waldorf School.
OCTOBER EDITION 2014
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[ fee-cher stohr-ee]
Nelson artist hosting mask exhibition by: Will Johnson, Nelson Star
‘Every culture uses masks’ W
hen you step into Ron Robinson’s Nelson home, the first thing you’ll notice are the masks. They’re everywhere.
Hung from most walls and displayed on many of the available surfaces, his creations are constructed out of Raku clay, sheet lead, wood and leather. Many of them feature repurposed materials, such as “Two Face Mask”, where Robinson has used a plentitude of old keys to fashion makeshift hair for the cubist moon face below. They vary in style and aesthetic, some of them ominous and other ones comical. If you glance out the window, there’s a line of them all the way down his fence. “What attracted me originally is you can make any mask. There are no rules. You can borrow styles from other cultures, you can experiment,” said Robinson, who has been serving as the president of the Nelson & District Arts Council since he moved here two and a half years ago. He estimates he’s created approximately 40 masks since 1993. He first became interested in the art form while working as a Calgary teacher. “That first mask was pretty crude. I was
trying to borrow from African masks, I’d done it in low-fire clay and painted it with acrylic paint in colours that reminded me of the African masks I’d seen,” he said. But the experience was enough to hook him, and he’s spent the last two decades perfecting the art. Recently he participated in a three-artist touring exhibition in Alberta, called Mainly Masks, which was on display for two years. But his upcoming show, which will be held at his house at 511 Nelson Avenue on October 24 and 25, will mark the first time he’s shared his work with the Kootenay art scene. He believe masks have a universal appeal. “At a very fundamental level, if you wear makeup, that’s a mask. Masks are often used to create an identity, say going out for Halloween, but they can also be used to hide or conceal an identity. For the Kootenays, I would say we all have
an identity, a perception of who we are, whether we actually use make up or a physical mask,” he said. The opening reception of Robinson’s show will be held on Saturday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. His house will be open for viewings 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Robinson said the masks will be priced slightly above $500 each, depending on the piece. Twenty per cent of the sales will be donated to the Nelson & District Arts Council. The primary medium Robinson works with is Raku clay, but in some of the pieces the kiln-dried surface looks almost metallic. Robinson said he enjoys the unpredictable results of working with the clay. “The changes are remarkable. They’re humblingly not controllable, at least not by me. You could have two pieces, the same firing and the same glaze, and there would be differences.” Robinson ultimately selected 20 masks for the exhibition. For more information visit synergyartstudios.com.
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OCTOBER EDITION 2014
WEDNESDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
4TH
5TH
1ST
DRESS: What would you do for love?
Raven Meets the Monkey King – Axis Theatre
Mick Foley: Tales From Wrestling Past
8:00 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
2:00 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
Tiller’s Folly Rossland Miners’ Hall, Rossland
Presented by the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture. Tiller’s Folly is a critically acclaimed, internationally travelled trio who play progressive, acoustic Celtic roots music. This high energy show will be the entertainment at an adult only dance to raise money for renovations to our beautiful Miner’s Hall. Door open at 8:30, show starts at 9 pm. Tickets are $22 available at Out of the Cellar in Rossland or the Charles Bailey Theatre Box Office in Trail.
Mat the Alien Spiritbar, Nelson
11TH Minnesota w/ guests Spiritbar, Nelson
La Cafamore Trail United Church, Trail
J, an inquisitive 11 year old, dreams of becoming a rich and famous treasure hunter when she buys a mysterious box from a garage sale. Inside she finds a Raven mask wrapped in an old Chinese opera poster. She sets out on an adventure to sell the artifacts. Aiding her on this quest are the spirits of the Raven (First Nations) and the Monkey King (Chinese). These renowned tricksters share their stories and life lessons and guide JJ to understand the values of family and history. Past and present all join together in a rollicking tale of how our lives are transformed by the people we meet, the choices we make and the stories we tell. Tickets at www.tickets.capitoltheatre.bc.ca.
Selkirk Trio with Nicola Everton, Sue Gould and Jeff Faragher 2:00 pm: Trail United Church
Classical swing with a twist featuring a program for clarinet, piano & cello. Admission $15 - Gallery Members $12.
TUESDAY
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Element, Castlegar
He’s a three-time WWE champion, a hardcore legend and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. Now, Mick Foley is unleashing the same trademark blend of wit and wisdom, wildness and warmth that made his books so beloved (five self-penned New York Times bestsellers) into his one-man spoken-word stage show, “Tales From Wrestling Past”. Foley has wowed both crowds and critics alike with his unique stage show leading “Chortle”, the UK’s most respected comedy source to write “Foley himself is charm personified eloquent, funny and self-effacing” and the decidedly non-wrestling publication “Broadway Baby” to muse, “if you’re interested at all in wrestling you’ll love it; if you’re not, you’ll like it.” Drawing from his 28 years of travel, Foley finds humor in the unlikeliest of places the loss of an ear, the “dedication” of a porn-star working in a knee-brace, a United States President reciting his wrestling catch-phrase. Foley himself refers to “Tales From Wrestling Past” as “like being in the ring, without getting hurt” a welcome distinction coming from a man who gave so much, to so many, for so long. Join the Hardcore Legend on his latest journey down life’s highway an eclectic trip into the surreal world of the days of wrestling past.
7:30 pm
7TH
1ST-4TH
18TH
A1 Presents: Dub FX with Andy V
Deconstructing Dinner Film Festival
Noemi Kiss & Csinszka Redai Nelson Overture Society Series 8:oo pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
John Reischman and The Jaybirds are a top-flight band delivering a truly fresh bland of original songs and instrumentals, old-time heritage, and bluegrass power. Tickets at www.tickets.capitoltheatre.bc.ca.
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer w/ Miss Quincy
Spirit Bar, Nelson
14TH The Vinyl Cafe Stuart McLean Capitol Theatre, Nelson
SOLD OUT!
Spirit Bar, Nelson
Maceo Parker - Night ONE
Cass Rhapsody - Free Late Show!
Spirit Bar, Nelson
The Painting of Rossland - An Art Tour
21ST
1:00 - 3:00 pm
MONDAY 6TH The Selkirk Trio in concert 7:30 pm: St. Saviour’s Pro Cathedral, Nelson
Nicola Everton, clarinet, Jeff Faragher cello, and Sue Gould, piano make up the Selkirk Trio. Tickets are $15 available at Otter Books or at the door.
TSPA presents SERVANTE 7:30 pm: Charles Bailey Theatre, Trail
Having toured Spain and the Americas for over fifteen years, guitar virtuoso Patrice Servant, a.k.a. Servantes, offers a truly unique blend of latinflamenco-jazz. His passionate performances feature his own compositions as well as improvisations and adaptations of well-known pieces. Hailed as innovative, intense, and generous, virtuoso guitarist Servantes has created three unique shows: STRUM, Servantes Sinfónico, and Bluesy AndaLucy. He and his stellar musicians are just waiting to blow you away! Contact: trail_arts@telus.net, 250-368-9669.
Multiple Venues, Nelson
Join host Jon Steinman in this innovative documentary series, as he explores, demystifies and deconstructs a popular food in each episode– from wheat, tomatoes and pork, to garlic, honey and eggs. Jon teams up with award-winning chefs, Michael Anthony (Gramercy Tavern), John Sundstrom (Lark), Blaine Wetzel (Willows Inn), Michael Stadtlander (Eigensinn Farm), Heather Carlucci (formerly of PRINT) and Mark Picone (Niagara College) to rediscover and reconstruct our food… in our kitchens, our communities, and through one of our most precious assets… our taste buds! Along with a colorful cast of local farmers, scientists and backyard gardeners, Jon will uncover issues surrounding animal welfare, truth in labeling, and the loss of nutrients and flavor in food. Join Deconstructing Dinner and discover that with a more discerning awareness of the origins of our food, and an investment of our time and energy, we can all enjoy the flavorful bounty that the land provides… from farm to fork. Tickets at www.tickets. capitoltheatre.bc.ca.
wtf is style? PREMIERE 7:30 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
Historic Inn and Saloon Check out our events page at www.theflyingsteamshovel.com 250-362-7323
2003 2 Ave, Rossland
OCTOBER EDITION 2014
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�rts and Entertainment Listings
October 2014 WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY
8TH
3RD
Carmen 7:00 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
We are thrilled to announce The Capitol Theatre and The Civic Theatre’s collaborative project PERFORMANCE ON SCREEN throughout the 2014-15 season!
La Cafamore 7:30 pm: Nelson United Church, Nelson
15TH The Vinyl Cafe Stuart McLean Capitol Theatre, Nelson
SOLD OUT! Maceo Parker - Night TWO Spiritbar, Nelson
THURSDAY 9TH The Artwork of our Members VSAC Gallery, Trail
Opens Oct. 9 and runs through to Oct 31.
Dr. Hook Farewell Tour Element, Castlegar
Your last chance to see a legend. Dr. Hook Farewell Tour featuring Ray Sawyer in his only and final BC date. Do not miss your chance to hear all the classic hits one last time! Cover of the rolling stone, Sylvia’s Mother, Freaker’s Ball and so many more. Join us in giving Ray and company a kootenay goodbye. A perfect way to kick off Thanksgiving weekend. Doors open 8pm.
Angie Abdou Oxygen Art Centre, Nelson
Kootenay author Angie Abdou will host a literary discussion at Oxygen Art Centre at 7.30pm. Abdou recently released a new novel titled “Between”. Suggest donation is $5. For more information, visit www.oxygenartcentre.org”
Capitol Theatre AGM 6:00 pm
16TH Zion I w/ Aileron & VS. Spirit Bar, Nelson
23RD Clinton Swanson and Friends featuring Kelly Fawcett Presented by the Trail Society for Performing Arts
For more information contact 250-368-9669 or email info@trail-arts.com
DRESS: What would you do for love? 8:00 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
The first one-person play that Myers created, DRESS incorporates video shot in and around Nelson with live performance to tell the story of a regular guy whose world is turned upside down when he falls in love with a teller at the Co-op. He seeks advice from a variety of friends, all played by Myers, introducing the audience to characters that are now familiar such as Torvald the Sex Machine and Randy from Creston. Featuring Myers’ unique blend of observational humour, song, interactive multimedia performance and storytelling, DRESS is a theatrical event not to be missed! Tickets at www. tickets.capitoltheatre.bc.ca.
James Flavour (Dirt Crew/ GER) w/ Kali (Snailrider) and Leif Spirit Bar, Nelson
Tiller’s Folly Langham Theatre, Kaslo
10TH Del Barber and the Profiteers Flying Steamshovel, Rossland
Del Barber grew up in the Canadian Prairies, and the landscape is as much a part of him as the people he has met along the way. From the fertile Red River Valley to the pastures of the west, straight into the factory floors and slaughter houses of the city, Barber’s fourth album, Prairieography, is born out of a love for his home, its people and their stories. In an effort to take his creative process to new heights, Barber undertook a painstaking approach to achieve an organic sound. The reverb was recorded inside a 150-foot grain silo. “We had to disassemble the studio, scale the walls of the silo, hang microphones and a speaker,” Barber describes. “We amplified the instrument, like the pedal steel, into the silo and recorded again, then the track would have to be synched up with the song.”
10TH The GALA Weekend Celebrations and Reunion Langham Cultural Centre
The Langham will continue its 40th Anniversary celebrations right through to the Thanksgiving Weekend where a celebration and reunion will take place with an Open House and Welcome, a GALA Showcase, a YOUTH Concert, a Street Fall Fest, and an OLD TIME DANCE @ The Legion, along with an OPEN MIC FAREWLL For more details, call 250.353.2661 or visit www.thelangham.ca.
17TH John Reischmann and The Jaybirds 8:00 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
John Reischman and The Jaybirds are a top-flight band delivering a truly fresh bland of original songs and instrumentals, oldtime heritage, and bluegrass power. Tickets at www.tickets. capitoltheatre.bc.ca.
24TH The Bills - Yes, Please 8:00 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
A Bills live show is a legendary experience. Since forming in 1996, the band has delighted theatre and festival audiences from Copenhagen to California, thrilling fans with their breathtaking musical explorations and their unscripted onstage wit and charm. In 2006 the band was voted Western Canadian Entertainer of the Year, edging the likes of nominees Michael Buble and Jann Arden. Tickets at www.tickets.capitoltheatre.bc.ca.
Electro Swing Club Spirit Bar, Nelson
24TH-25TH COP SHOP / GROW OP 8:00 pm: Capitol Theatre, Nelson
An encore performance of an original award-winning play by Jeff Forst about a pot grower who falls in love with the cop next door. PG13. Tickets at www.tickets.capitoltheatre.bc.ca.
Mask Art Exhibit 511 Nelson Ave., Nelson
Join artist Ron Robinson at his upcoming show, which will be held at his house. It marks the first time he’s shared his work with the Kootenay art scene.
31ST Gordon Lightfoot in Concert 8:00 pm: Charles Bailey Theatre, Trail
In the music world, Gordon Lightfoot may very well be the idol of icons. When listening to a Lightfoot recording, Bob Dylan “doesn’t want the song to end”, and can’t think of any of his songs he doesn’t like. Daniel Lanois loves everything about him. Jimmy Buffet admits he always tries to write songs like him. But rather than bask in the adulation he so clearly inspires, the musical legend continues to work harder than ever. Lightfoot has won 15 Juno Awards and been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2001. In May 2003 was made a Companion of the Order of Canada and is also a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2004 was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and, in 2012, the U.S. Songwriters Hall of Fame. Contact: 250-3689669 or info@trail-arts.com.
Annual Halloween Party Finley’s, Nelson
Vinyl Ritchie w/ Cass Rhapsody Hallowe’en Spook-tacular Spirit Bar, Nelson
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OCTOBER EDITION 2014
�rts and Entertainment Listings
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October 2014 - Ongoing Events Ongoing until Oct. 5
Ongoing until Oct. 11
Ongoing
Langham 40th Anniversary Exhibit
Imaginarium
Zeljko Kujundzic and the Early Years of the Kootenay School of the Arts Exibition
Lagham Cultural Centre, Kaslo
The Langham 40th Anniversary Exhibition is a visual, broad strokes journey through the past and a celebration of how far they have come. This exhibition is meant to be a celebration of the spirit of the Langham, what it stands for, and the myriad people, seen and unseen, who make such an impressive legacy possible.
Oxygen Art Centre, Nelson
A collaborative painting Residency & Exhibition by six emerging Kootenay artists; Amber Santos, Sergio Santos, Chelsey Freyta, Coleman Webb, Bryn Stevenson, and Tanya Pixie Johnson. Gallery hours: Wed-Sat from 1-5pm. Admission free and every
Ongoing
Angelika Werth - “Attach-able/ Detach-able Collars” Exhibit
Let Them Run, The Salmon Century Exhibition
Lagham Cultural Centre, Kaslo
Kootenay Gallery, Castlegar
“The merging and melding of creative categories (Art/ Fashion/Architecture) in the contemporary creative sphere has allowed the interplay and fusion of once distinct disciplines. Angelika Werth examples this brilliantly in her work; combining the conceptual & the tangible in clear accord and creating “wearable constructed fibre works” which are both strikingly sophisticated and fancifully familiar.” - Arin Fay, Curator 2014.
Various media by Columbia Basin Artists. Twenty- one Columbia Basin artists created work inspired by a weekend of learning held in the spring of this year at beautiful Hidden Creek in the Salmo River Watershed. The intention was to provide outdoor, interactive experiences to get them ‘thinking like a watershed’ and the possibility of a future with salmon returning to our rivers.
Gallery A Touchstones Nelson - Museum of Art and History
Bringing the War Home: 3D images from the Battlefields of WWI Gallery B Touchstones Nelson - Museum of Art and History
ANOTHER SEASON OF GREAT PERFORMANCES AHEAD!
The Rossland Council for Arts and Culture (RCAC) annual Performance Series kicks off on October 4 with a show by critically acclaimed musical group Tiller’s Folly. Through the Performance Series RCAC aims to continuously present a wide variety of high calibre artists with a variety performing arts styles and this year is no exception. The Performance Series will feature acts ranging from Celtic music to masked theatre and promises to be a great series enjoyable for performance fans young and old. “We are very excited for the performances we have lined up this season,” says Renate Fleming, volunteer chair of the
Performance Series committee. “We strive to make the arts accessible to the entire community, and are so pleased that we are able to host such high quality performers while keeping the cost affordable for community members.” The first performance in the series will be an adult only dance at the Rossland Miners’ Hall, with entertainment by Tiller’s Folly: a Celtic group turned acoustic roots. The critically acclaimed, internationally travelled trio is at the head of the progressive roots movement. Touted as a “national treasure” by Peter North of the Edmonton Journal, Tiller’s Folly promises to be an exciting,
high energy show. “This is the perfect performance to kick off this year’s series” says Fleming, “we hope to see everyone out with their dancing shoes on!” The dance will take place on October 4. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and the music will start at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $22 and can be purchased in advance at Out of the Cellar on Columbia Ave. in Rossland or at the Charles Bailey Theatre Box Office in Trail.
Tiller’s Folly is also performing in Kaslo on October 3 at the Langham Theatre.
OCTOBER EDITION 2014
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Let Them Run- The Salmon Century In the spring of this year twenty-one artists who live and work in the Columbia Basin were invited to take part in a weekend of learning at beautiful Hidden Creek in the Salmo River Watershed. The intention was to provide outdoor, interactive experiences to get them ‘thinking like a watershed’ and the possibility of a future with salmon returning to our rivers. They learned how important the salmon were spiritually, culturally, socially and economically to many Columbia Basin First Nations Peoples before the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam in the 1940’s resulted in the complete loss of salmon stocks in the Canadian Columbia Basin. The exhibition, Let them Run, The Salmon Century, opening at the Kootenay Gallery is the result of combining a passion for the environmental stewardship of an important river system with the recognition that art has the power to inspire, inform and ultimately facilitate change. The participating artists have interpreted their experience during the weekend of learning in many forms, from audio and photography to painting and sculpture. As Gerry Nellestijn, the coordinator of the artist weekend and the founding member of the Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society states, “through this exhibition we will be able to learn their (the salmon) ways and their influence on Place and People and perhaps, move toward inspiring creative insights to contribute to their reintroduction”. The exhibition opens on Friday, September 26 at 7pm and runs until November 8. The Kootenay Gallery is located adjacent to the Doukhobor Discovery Centre on Heritage Way in Casltegar and is open from 10-5
Let Them Run - the Salmon Century Sept. 26-Nov. 8th Tuesday-Saturday 10-5pm www.kootenaygallery.com 120 Heritage Way Castlegar
by: JS
Legends don’t just breeze through town every day… well, maybe in a city like Toronto or New York, but not Castlegar. A date with a legend is coming up at the Element Club, a date not to miss for folks who remember Dr. Hook from his heyday in the 70s. Fans who have muscled their way onto the Medicine Show bandwagon in the years since Dr. Hook burst onto the scene with Cover of the Rolling Stone will also want to secure their tickets for this farewell event. The miles logged and dates performed over the decades are testaments to the energy and dedication of the Doctor, aka Ray Sawyer, who has maintained a busy touring schedule which has been supported by legions of fans. According to information gleaned from the Dr. Hook/Ray Sawyer website, sixty gold and platinum records
have been earned worldwide by the group. Ray has “gained the confidence of a seasoned entertainer and to this day travels the world with his band.” His son Cayce has been touring with him since he was 13 playing percussion and singing background vocals in the show. Now he is the drummer for the band. Ray has had the honour of being Inducted into the “Alabama Music Hall Of Fame” in April 2005. “They’re big rock singers, they’ve got golden fingers, and they’re loved everywhere they go!” An in-person opportunity to connect with pop music history is yours to seize at Castlegar’s Element Club Bar Grill on Thursday, October 9. It’s Dr. Hook’s farewell tour – his only and final B.C. date. Hear all the classic hits: Sylvia’s Mother, Freaker’s Ball and so many more. Join us in giving Ray and company a Kootenay goodbye. A perfect way to kick off Thanksgiving weekend. Email www.clubelement.ca for ticket information.
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OCTOBER EDITION 2014
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by: Will Johnson, Nelson Star
Welcome to Lucas Myers’ time capsule Local performer restates show for 10-year anniversary
L
ucas Myers was a newly graduated itinerant actor out of National Theatre School who looked vaguely like Zach Braff and hadn’t yet decided exactly what type of performer he wanted to become when he first came up with the idea for an audacious one-man show called Dress. One of his first shows in the Nelson area, it was the genesis of his popular redneck character Randy from Creston, as well as Torvald the Sex Machine and Lego Johnson, among others. And it provided the template for his future work. “The fact that it was my very first show is kind of insane. It had a lot going on. I threw a lot at the wall,” said the former Nelson cultural ambassador, who has since become an established name throughout the Kootenays. Myers recently decided to remount Dress in time for it’s 10-year anniversary, and to introduce fans to earlier work they may have missed. It will play for two nights, October 3 and 4, at the Capitol Theatre. Myers said he originally came up with the idea in a flurry of creative activity, working on a three-day deadline. He asked a close friend “Okay, I’m going to be up on stage for an hour. What do you want to see?” According to Myers, the friend didn’t
even hesitate. “‘I want to see you in a dress’, she said. That’s where the idea came from. And then I had to figure out how to make that dramatically interesting.” Myers created an unnamed, everyman protagonist who falls in love with a woman at the local health food store. “He falls instantly, and he doesn’t want to be in love with the girl. He’s in a relationship. And she’s this vibrant person and she inevitably dares him to put on a dress and go to performance night at the Capitol to sing a song. Really, it’s about taking risks. I decided that’s what the theme was, it was advice for someone being suddenly in love with this person and not wanting to be.” The members of the real audience at the Capitol will, in a way, become a part of the production, as they’re expected to stand in for the fictional audience watching the performance art show. There will be two 3-5 minute cameos from Bessie Wapp and high school music group Swing Theory, who will appear as fictional attendees of the event. “Bessie’s an old friend and I knew she’d come through for me. I told her go to
town, you’ve got 3 to 5 minutes, indulge yourself. Every night is different, I don’t know what they’re going to do. They come in and do whatever,” he said. But their carefully calculated time on stage will give him the opportunity to sprint around the venue changing costume. Myers said he had to come up with some interesting solutions when he realized the variety of characters he was going to play, and he ultimately ended up using transitionary videos to link the narrative, working with videographer Peter Schramm. “It’s all shot in Nelson 10 years ago, so
the character goes for coffee, pulls up and goes to the old Oso,” he said. “It’s exactly like a time capsule. I didn’t realize that until I watched the video. It’s neat to revisit old work and kind of see where you were at,” he said. And though he plans to source the costumes to match the original outfits he wore, he will not be re-piercing his ears, he said. “I don’t want to go there.” Tickets for Dress are $20 for adults and $15 for students and are available at 250352-6363 or online at capitoltheatre.ca.
The classical music group
La Cafamore,
will be performing in Nelson on October 8 & Trail on October 11.
La Cafamore has been performing in the Kootenays since 2008. Over the years, the configuration has changed, but every concert brings its challenges and rewards. For Carolyn Cameron, this particular set of concerts has her on the piano instead of her regular position as violinist. “People often ask which instrument I prefer,” said Cameron. “I seem to go in phases where I prefer one or the other. The thing about piano is that you can potentially play 10 wrong notes at a time, whereas on violin, generally there is only one.”
The group is looking forward to another opportunity to play in the area The concert is advertised as Trios with a Twist because none of the works were originally intended for La Cafamore’s violin, viola and piano combination. “The Mozart trio was arranged for our combination with the composer’s approval, although it was originally performed with clarinet, viola and piano”,said Cameron. The two other works on the program, Schumann’s Fairy Tales and Brahms’ horn trio featured clarinet and horn respectively. “When the instrumentation changes, the whole
character of the piece is changed.” Cameron hopes that those familiar with these works in their traditional instrumentation, will take a chance on a new experience. “Regardless of the instrument combination, the melodies of these works are incredible”. La Cafamore performs on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson United Church, 602 Silica Street and again Saturday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m. At the Trail United Church.
OCTOBER EDITION 2014
You should come to this tasting,” my son said. “You can get your bottle of 40-year-old signed.” The bottle in reference is a single malt from a distillery on the tiny island of Islay, in northwest Scotland. The maker was Bruichaddich and its distiller, the redoubtable Jim McEwan was due to arrive in Calgary a few weeks after our conversation. On his schedule were two evenings of tastings and tale-telling at Willow Park Wines and Spirits, Western Canada’s largest retail liquor store and host of a dazzling array of events throughout the year. It is also, since last spring, my son Evan’s place of employment. I have been a fan of Bruichladdich (brook-laddie) whisky since my first sip. The distillery was built in 1881 and
La Dolce Vita
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had a succession of owners until it was deemed surplus to the needs its ownership and shut down 1991. In 2001 it was sold and reopened under the management of McEwen, who for years worked in Japan for Suntory. Whisky takes years of aging before it is ready for market, so what does a new owner do for cash flow in the meantime? In Bruichladdich’s case, they were lucky. When the distillery was mothballed it had a large inventory of whisky in barrels in storage. Hence, my bottle of 40-year-old, which was released for sale about a decade ago. Only a small quantity was produced and it was, when we purchased it at a fundraising auction, retailing for about $2,400 at the time. (My wife bought it for me, and didn’t pay nearly that much!) So there I was a couple of weeks ago, on a Friday evening, seated at a front row table with my sons Evan and Ryan at my side. In front of each of us were six glasses, each containing a sample of Bruichladdich single malt. They were poured from bottles that sell for $70-$330 each. A
plate of cheese, nuts and smoked salmon on crackers was also on our table, as were bottles of water. As the 7 a.m. start time arrived, 125 people in the room hushed as the stage lights flashed on and the sound system began pumping out The Proclaimers’ hit song 500 Miles. McEwan boogied his way into the spotlight, then grabbed Willow Parks’ scotch department manager David Michiels for an impromptu reel, working the room like the whisky world rock star he has become. At 62, McEwan is slender, handsome, energetic and captivating. There are few who match his reputation as an ambassador for single malt whisky, and he travels the world to promote his passion. As the music died down he launched into what would become a spell-binding 90-minute presentation, filled with solid information, Bruichladdich history and practices, endless promotion of Islay and an impassioned plug for Scottish independence. Had McEwan been a standup comic I would have happily paid to see the show. Bruichladdich is a bit of a
modern world anomaly. There are 57 employees making whisky the old-fashioned way—copper stills that operate at lower than usual tempers, malted barley dried by the heat of burning peat dug from the island’s bogs, no chill filtering and no colouring added. “At Bruichladdich, we believe the whisky industry has been stifled by industrialization and selfinterest – huge organizations have developed that require a stable status quo to ensure that their industrial processes can run to maximum efficiency, producing the maximum ‘product’ with the minimum input and variation, all to the lowest unit price,” McEwen says. “We reject this.” Evan informs me that there are distilleries that produce 10 times what Bruichladdich does, with only 2 employees. If I wasn’t already a big Bruichladdich fan I would become one, with that piece of information alone. The master distiller led us through the tastings, each one distinct and reminiscent of a Hebridean island’s sea air. My favourite was Octomore, which also happens to be the world’s most heavily peated single malt.
Even so, it was delightfully fresh and fruity, with smoke and peat less overwhelming than others I have tried. Later, I lined up to get my 40-year-old bottle signed. McEwen broke into a grin when he saw what I had just handed him and asked why it was unopened. I said I was waiting for the right occasion and would know it when the time comes. “Would you email me and let me know when it does?” he asked. The evening was one of my favourites of the many, many events I have attended as a media guest at Willow Park Wines and Spirits. With each one I have been impressed by the commitment the business has to customer education. It is a sure way to build a loyal clientele and a wonderful resource for people with a genuine interest about the products.
By: Lorne Eckersley
Return of the It’s one of the most interesting trends in craft beer, the rise of the pumpkin ales. Last year the Nelson Brewing Company (NBC) brewed and bottled 1,000 cases of our Organic Pumpkin Ale and were sold out at the brewery in days. That was the story province wide. We had stores calling us from across the province saying everyone is sold out of pretty much every pumpkin beer. A piece of pie in a bottle, why not! So belly up to the dessert bar for some sampling. Nelson Brewing Company - Organic Pumpkin Ale: Our head brewer Mike Kelly explains his thought process in brewing the strangest ale to ever come from NBC. “When I set out to brew a pumpkin ale last year I wanted to make as honest a pumpkin beer as possible. Most pumpkin beers include varying degrees of pumpkin pie spicing, but it is difficult to taste the pumpkin in the finished product. “Additions of pumpkin puree in both the mash and boil contributed to the flavour and colour of pumpkin in the beer, while opening almost 400 cans of pumpkin puree burned out no fewer than three electric can openers. The switch to manual openers resulted in the almost superhuman forearm development seen among Nelson Brewing Company employees to this day.
“I have made some spiced beer in the past, so while the results weren’t totally unexpected I was pleasantly surprised by the complementary interplay between the nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves. As in pumpkin pie, the spices provided a nice counterpoint to the pumpkin and malt flavours.” Fernie Brewing Company: Last year when we tasted pumpkins, Fernie’s was easily one of our favorite! It’ll be on sale at all government liquor stores across the province and rightfully so! Here’s what they say about it at www.ferniebrewing.com. Their Pumpkin Brown Ale stems from the infamous First Trax Brown Ale, but is instead brewed with organic pumpkins, cinnamon, nutmeg and numerous spices to create a deliciously smooth and tasty accompaniment to your favourite seasonal dish. Resulting in a brew fit for any beer connoisseur or your average turkey aficionado.” Parallel 49 - Lost Souls Chocolate Pumpkin Ale: An interesting combination, and to be honest it’s the one beer we haven’t been lucky enough to get our hands on to sample, but the word is that it will be available in Nelson this year. Here’s what they say about it on the website, sounds tasty!
Time to Start your Winter & Christmas Wines. 250.362.7101 2185 Columbia Ave. Rossland
“The base of this beer is a robust porter that uses large amounts of chocolate malt to achieve a chocolaty flavour. Pumpkin is used in the mash along with traditional pumpkin pie spices in the brew kettle.” There’s going to be dozens of options landing any day now so get ready, the pumpkin season is upon us. Happy tasting!!
by: Chad Hansen Nelson Brewing Company
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Nelson’s third annual food documentary film festival returns October 1-4 Entering into its third consecutive year, the Deconstructing Dinner Film Festival will be hosted once again in Nelson and this time on October 1-4. For 2014, the Festival expands to four days and will showcase a total of 11 films at three venues. With two festivals now under its belt, the DDFF is slowly aligning itself to become a world class event. Two Festival traditions will be returning this year starting with the opening night Oyster Bar and Film at the Spirit Bar. Bookending the festival will be the return of the popular closing night Local ChocolateMaker Showcase with at least four chocolate makers confirmed to show off their products at the Civic Theatre.
In between those two events are six screenings at the Civic Theatre and two at Expressions Café. Featured as part of the opening night gala will be the feature-length film, Vanishing Pearls – an official selection at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. The film shares the untold impacts of the 2010 BP oil spill on Point á la Hache, a close-knit African-American oyster harvesting village on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. The evening will also feature 100-mile pizza and salad, samples from the Nelson Brewing Company and live music from Clinton Swanson & Friends. Get your tickets early as this one sold out last year! Other films to watch out for this year are Just Eat It, The Last Shepherd, All in this Tea, Salmon Confidential, The Last Ocean, No Land No Food No Life, The Sower and Bean to Bar.
believes Nelson is the perfect place to incubate what he hopes will evolve into an international event sought out by documentary filmmakers and foodies alike. “For a small community, Nelson has such a unique blend of good food and the arts,” says Steinman. “Throw in a one-of-kind movie theatre, and I think the perfect recipe is right here in Nelson for a worldclass film festival which we can celebrate as our own.” Check out the freshly-launched Festival web site for show-times and on-line tickets/passes at filmfest. deconstructingdinner.com
Deconstructing Dinner has become a trusted name in food media, and Festival founder Jon Steinman
Rossland Artists Profiles
Louise Drescher, Painter
by: Kate Harrison Whiteside
Born in Toronto, she received an MA from the University of Toronto in Medieval Art and Literature. She started painting in London, England and had two exhibitions there before moving to Chicago, Illinois, where she continued to paint and exhibit. “We lived exactly the opposite lifestyle in Chicago,” said Drescher. “Rossland offered another way of living.” Louise Drescher, who’s colourful, distinctive paintings of Rossland adorn the town’s banner, art galleries and people’s homes, ended up a Rosslander more by chance than design. It was the mid 90’s and the Internet was just coming into use. After challenging her son to search the Internet for a new ski holiday location in western Canada, Red Mountain’s website caught their eye. By the next year, 1994, she was a local – having never actually holidayed here. “Red Mountain’s website was amazing, considering the Internet was so new,” said Louise Drescher. “After the end of the school year, we just came. It’s the kind of thing you do in your mid-forties, or maybe not,” she says, laughing. Inspired by the town, the location, the scenery, she picked up her painting career without a moment’s hesitation.
Drescher first got her inspiration to paint walking around London in the mid-70s, exploring the city and its architecture. “I was walking around our neighbourhood, immersed in medieval art, literature and the arrangements, shapes, colours and high quality of workmanship, defined lines and careful design,” said Drescher. “And, I thought, I can draw that.” She did a sketch, and began painting scenes along the Thames. Shortly after, an art gallery connection lead to exhibitions, which lead to commissions. “It just got so wonderful, that I dropped everything else and never looked back.” She carried on in Toronto, then Chicago, and now Rossland. Drescher is committed to spreading her enthusiasm for the art form and convincing others it can be theirs. “You see something. You’re in the moment, and it’s yours,” said Drescher. “You just need
to think about the moment and paint like a 12-year old. Whatever you paint will be your creation of the moment.” Drescher found Rossland’s ‘charming’ buildings from the mining era, colours, seasons, wildlife and scenery perfect inspirations for her bold, colourfilled signature style. “I have painted this town from every possible vantage point,” said Drescher. “You create elements of town life. I’ve been here twenty years and it’s given me an inexhaustible supply of scenes. This town gives incredible inspiration.” Watching two bears playing in her back yard inspired her dancing bears paintings, and inspired her to move further afield. Drescher ventured outdoors to paint with the Carlyle Group, spear-headed by Stephanie Gauvin. Along with artists Jenny Baillie, Brigitte Desbois and Mirja Vahalla, their hikeand-paint at Mt Carlyle in 2012 generated over fifty paintings, which were shown at The Rossland Gallery. They next tackled Mt Assiniboine in 2013. This summer she painted at the Kokanee Glacier and went to a workshop in the Bugaboos to explore Alpine shapes, spaces and colours in more depth. Drescher has been instrumental in collaborating with other artists at shows and galleries since putting down roots in Rossland. She was a board member of the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture for
a number of years. In 1996, she teamed up with Sally Adnams, creating the Tree House gallery. Her next venture was a 21-artist cooperative gallery in the Fire Hall, followed by the Rouge Gallery on Columbia Avenue. After that, exhibitions have been held at the Rossland Art Gallery, with artists creating new opportunities, like the annual show. Louise has been painting and selling her work for 35 years. A typical day includes two painting sessions. She also works at the Monasheee Clinic, and makes time to be active in Rossland’s outdoor haven. “I don’t have any shortage of ideas,’ said Drescher. “I just try to balance the scenes people want me to paint and those I want to develop myself.” “I find it very gratifying that people ask me for a painting, or tell me how a painting makes them feel,” said Drescher. “It’s like an extra gift. Painting is a wonderful thing to do. It is truly a gift to me. I love this town. Even though I grew up in big cities, here I just connect.” “Life is like painting. It’s not what other people think or are doing,” said Drescher. “It’s about what you are doing. You just have the courage of your choices and make it work.” Drescher, 63, goes week by week, not looking too far into the future. Her children are grown. Her husband splits his time between San Francisco and Rossland. She balances painting, working and enjoying
the outdoor lifestyle Rossland offers. “I just pour myself into it,” said Drescher. “It makes me feel so alive.” Drescher is sharing her enthusiasm for painting at an upcoming Monashee Institute workshop – Painting Adventure – in Rossland October 18 and 19. It is for anyone who wants to learn to paint – or is painting and is looking for inspiration. Details are on monasheeinstitute.org. Louise Drescher’s artwork appears on Rossland’s event banner. Photo by Lawrence Wright, www.blowupphoto. com , in Rossland.
OCTOBER EDITION 2014
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‘Who tells the story when you kill the storyteller?’ Author resurrects Kootenay labour activist
by: Will Johnson, Nelson Star
There is a forested slope just outside of Cumberland, a few hours north of Victoria, BC, called Mount Ginger Goodwin. It’s named after Albert “Ginger” Goodwin, a Kootenay migrant coal miner, labour activist and draft dodger who was shot to death near there on July 27, 1918.
Trail smelter and noisily decrying the slave-like working conditions, low wages and pollution.
The three constables who found themselves responsible for the corpse that night, nearly a century ago, were in a bit of a predicament. They were afraid of what would happen when news of the death inevitably reached the nearby community.
The current answer is Rader himself. His collection What I Want to Tell Goes Like This was released earlier this month by Nightwood Editions. His stories chronicle both the historical and contemporary life of Cumberland and the surrounding area, the place where Goodwin fled to and ultimately died.
They knew there would be repercussions for their actions, and possibly an investigation, but they couldn’t find a local undertaker who would agree to help them deal with the body. Finally one of the constables was sent out to retrieve the coroner from Nanaimo. “Basically, they knew if they came down on the wrong side of this, they were in trouble,” writer Matt Rader told Vurb, while he walked along the Courtenay shore of C o m o x Lake. Many people believed at the time, and still do, that Goodwin was drafted into the army (an earlier exemption had been reconsidered) and ultimately executed to stifle his attempts to introduce collective bargaining to the work place. He had become famous for representing the workers of the
“Goodwin was always the talker. He was the one writing editorials and giving speeches,” said Rader. “What was driving me was this: who tells the story when you kill the storyteller?”
The contemporary component of Rader’s book includes a story, first published in the Malahat Review in September 2011, called “At The Lake”. The story recounts a sexual encounter involving three teenagers, two male and one female. Rader said he imagined the event happening on the opposite side of the lake from Goodwin’s murder site. “Basically on one side of the lake you’ve got these three guys standing around Goodwin’s body, and they don’t know how to feel about what they’ve done. Then, on the other side of the water, a hundred years later, you have three young people in a parallel ethical quandary,” he said. Recently, Rader took home the Jack Hodgins’ Founder’s Award for fiction, for his story “All This Was a
Long Time Ago”. The story focuses primarily on the life of James Joyce, but an accompanying plot follows a Vancouver Island teacher in the midst of marital issues during the present day. As you read the two narratives side by side, similarities begin to make themselves apparent. Rader resurrects a number of historical characters in his book, and mined his surrounding landscape for inspiration. He drove Vurb down to the Royston wrecks, a line of scuttled ships piled together to make a breakwater. Their rusted hulls still jut out from the water a few hundred feet from shore. Rader used them as a backdrop in his story “The Laurel Whalen”. Then he swung by the scene of another historic shooting, this one involving pirates, that he used for inspiration for his story “The Selected Kid Curry”. While driving through downtown Cumberland Rader described the town’s conditions during the socalled Great Strike that lasted from 1912 until 1914, pointing out where cannons had once been stationed on street corners. Often, while researching through archives and libraries, he picked up anecdotes and idiosyncrasies about historical life that worked their way into his fiction. “I did some reading about this,” Rader said. “They used to drill bore holes for the mines, right? And those eventually became ponds, but the gas content meant you could set them on fire. There’s these old timers who talk about how they used to light the water on fire when they were boys.” When asked whether the story was true or not, Rader said he intentionally
left the distinction unclear. “One thing I’ve discovered is lots and lots of people don’t have any idea about history. My book isn’t intended to be accurate. My book is trying to say that these stories, and these elements from our past, constitute what our present is. Through telling them, we can see ourselves.” EXCERPT Goodwin’s death “High summer, 1918. Vancouver Island. The sun weeps fiery light through the canopy onto the forest floor. See the man face down in the dirt. Red hair. Starved slender so his dungarees hang loosely off his thighs and hips. A red bandana tied neatly around his neck. Ammunition boots, battered and ripped at the toe cap, the soles flapping open at the heel. Nothing moves except the fleas of his skin. One hand stretches above his head. The other, splayed to his right, grips a small rifle. The jungle empty now of birds. Blood spreads across his back into his linen shirt and from his outstretched hand into the fir needles and earth.” -“Alone Mountain” by Matt Rader
Café Books West Wide range of books and local artwork. 250-362-5333 2063 Washington St, Rossland