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Dec. 1, 2021
A local love fest Winnipeg record label holds first live showcase ARTS & CULTURE The Good Will Social Club was lit purple on the night of Nov. 20 for the first live showcase of the House of Wonders roster. The label was started by leader of art rock luminaries Yes We Mystic Adam Fuhr in early 2020, alongside the launch of his studio of the same name. Although the label has been steadily releasing projects from its three signees — alt-country troubadour Amos the Kid, indie rockers Julien’s Daughter and the inventive folk rock band Virgo Rising, the beginning of the label coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made for a strange early growth period. Fuhr said “[r]unning the label has been very solitary laptop-y work, and I know for the bands it’s been hard to release their music in the world without that human connection. So, to watch people come together and have such a great time was very emotional for all of us.” The show sold out almost instantly when advanced tickets were released, which took Fuhr by surprise. The enthusiasm in the room was palpable. “We knew we had some heat but didn’t realize quite how much,” Fuhr said. Openers Julien’s Daughter started the
photo / House of Wonders / provided
Alex Braun, staff
night with a bang, running through a blisteringly energetic set full of early ’00s dance-punk energy, exemplified by their cover of the Franz Ferdinand classic “Take Me Out.” Frontwoman Emma Murphy’s dramatic stage presence adds to that vibe, with a touch of Karen O or Debbie Harry about her. The crowd was very receptive, moshing and stagediving and yelling lyrics.
shocking ease. The band’s music has a similarly unstable tension, always taking unexpected turns, with tempo changes, sudden freak-outs and wild dynamic changes. Their emotional intensity and more timid stage presence clashed slightly with the frenzy that Julien’s Daughter whipped up, but you didn’t have to look too far to find fans singing along and giving the band the attention they deserve.
Virgo Rising took the stage next, quieting the room with a run-through of their excellent debut EP Sixteenth Sapphire as well as a few new songs. Lead singer Emily Sinclair’s voice is really a force of nature, able to jump from hauntingly intimate near-whisper to glass-shattering belting with
The great Amos the Kid — the first signee to House of Wonders — headlined, delivering a very strong set with songs culled from his two EPs. The crowd yelled along to tracks like “Jesus Cocaine Ketamine Christ” and “You Make It So Easy,” which already feel like local classics. Amos reflected
on his past job as a bar-back at the Good Will, which is odd to imagine given the ease and comfort of his stage persona — he really looks like he belongs up there. For all three bands, Saturday felt a like coronation of sorts, a raucous party celebrating all the work that Fuhr and the artists have put in over the past year. Though they seemed slightly taken aback by the rabid audience, they were prepared to throw that same level of energy right back at them.
arts@themanitoban.com
Bisons impress in Canada West championships SPORTS
Isaiah Wagner, staff The University of Manitoba Bisons took to the pool this past weekend for the 2021 Canada West swimming championships.
Hannah Schanel finishing second in the 50-metre freestyle and Daniel Boguski finishing second in the men’s 50- and 100-metre freestyle.
The event headlined a three-day meet with races staggered throughout the weekend. The Bisons were well represented all three days by swimmers in the men’s and the women’s categories.
With the weekend wrapped up, nobody’s swimming career is more impressive than Wog’s.
Kelsey Wog and Dora Modrcin in particular were superstars, both finishing high in their respective categories. Modrcin finished third in the 50-metre butterfly, third in the 100-metre freestyle relay, second in the 100-metre backstroke and first in the 50-metre backstroke. Wog finished third in the 100- and 200-metre freestyle relay, first in the 200-metre individual medley and first in the 50, 100- and 200-metre breaststroke. Other notable performances included
She started by swimming in the Youth Olympic Games in 2014. There she placed fifth, sixth and eighth in various swimming events. Wog then moved on to the FINA world championships in 2016, where she placed second in the 200-metre breaststroke. In the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, she competed in the women’s 100and 200-metre breaststroke. Her 23rd and 16th place finishes prove that she can compete with the best of the best around the world.
graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff
Wog the highlight of Bisons swimming team
Wog said the experience is a huge boon when competing in events such as the Canada West championships. “My Olympic experience is key when swimming,” Wog said. “To improve constantly, you have to compete against the best and I feel that is important. By swimming in the Olympics, it has allowed me to better myself and learn a lot from other swimmers.” Although she would like to finish first in every event she participates in, that will not always be the case. She did extremely well in such a highly
competitive event. “This feels amazing to participate in an event like this,” Wog said. “I have been training my whole life for this and to be here is unbelievable. I am very proud to represent the University of Manitoba and swim with all the great people.”
sports@themanitoban.com
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