January 2019

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FILM FREE ARTS Vol. 10 No. 1 MUSIC JANUARY FOOD 2019 CULTURE thewalleye.ca

FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2018 28

ART TO LAST A LIFETIME 40

SHAVE, HAIRCUT, AND A BREW 50

WAVES HIT THUNDER BAY THIS MONTH 69


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Contents

walleye the

FEATURES

■ 8

CoverStory: The Best of Thunder Bay ■ 8 Food ■ 10 The Arts ■ 11 City Scene ■ 14 Music ■ 16 Events

Thunder Bay’s arts & culture alternative

Editor-in-chief Darren McChristie Editor Adrian Lysenko adrian@thewalleye.ca Assistant Editor Rebekah Skochinski Senior Editor Tiffany Jarva Copy Editors Amy Jones, Bonnie Schiedel

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Marketing & Sales Manager Martina Benvegnu sales@thewalleye.ca Photographers Patrick Chondon, Bill Gross, Scott Hobbs, Chad Kirvan, Dave Koski, Kay Lee, Shannon Lepere, Marty Mascarin, Darren McChristie, Laura Paxton Art Directors Steve Coghill, R.G.D., Dave Koski, R.G.D. production@thewalleye.ca

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50

All Rights Reserved.

314 Bay Street Thunder Bay, ON P7B 1S1

Bring it On ■ 32 Laughs for a Great Cause

THE ARTS

■ 34 Cell ■ 36 Derelicte 11 ■ 38 Create Space ■ 39 Hunting for a Great Shot ■ 40 ■ 43

Copyright © 2019 by Superior Outdoors Inc.

Superior Outdoors Inc.

Never Bothered Me Anyway ■ 21 The Haze Craze of New England IPAs (NEIPAs) ■ 22 The Best Is Yet To Come ■ 25 Red Lion and Friends Relocate ■ 26 Tea Horse

■ 28 Favourite Films of 2018 ■ 31 Applauze Theatre will

The Walleye is a free monthly publication distributed on racks throughout Thunder Bay and region.

Editorial and Advertising: Submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Superior Outdoors cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.

■ 18 The Cold

FILM&THEATRE

Ad Designers Dave Koski Miranda van den Berg Paige Guzzell

Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission is strictly forbidden. Views expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.

FOOD

with Jayden Belisle Art to Last a Lifetime Lessons: The Artistry of Learning

OUTDOOR

■ 44 Ice in Motion CITYSCENE

■ 46 Disrupt It Weekend ■ 49 One Of The Boys ■ 50 Shave, Haircut, and a Brew ■ 53 Cheers for Chai ■ 55 Better Than Burning ■ 56 What’s Inside...

A Sewing Studio?

■ 59 TBay vs. TDot ■ 61 One Time Brew Co. ■ 65 Inspiring, Encouraging, and Enriching Lives ■ 66 Five Questions with Ryan McMahon

MUSIC

■ 69 Waves Hit Thunder Bay ■ 70 ■ 72 ■ 75 ■ 76 ■ 77 ■ 78 ■ 79 ■ 80 ■ 81

this Month The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer Lindsey Buckingham A Nod to Jim Differ Peter Shackleton Not the King Celebrating Friendship with The Snowman Complex and Demanding Hail the Cover Show King A Strange Brew

ARCHITECTURE

■ 84 Royston Court Lofts HEALTH

■ 86 Hospital’s Staff Health

and Wellness Calendar Promoting So(cial) Good

GREEN

■ 89 The BEAN Project WEATHER

■ 94 January in Retrospect ■ 19 Drink of the Month ■ 60 This is Thunder Bay ■ 62 Stuff We Like ■ 82 Off the Wall Reviews ■ 90 Tbaytel January EVENTS ■ 92 Music EVENTS ■ 93 LU Radio's Monthly Top 20 ■ 96 The Wall ■ 97 The Beat ■ 98 The Eye

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Telephone (807) 344-3366 Fax (807) 623-5122 E-mail: info@thewalleye.ca

Thinking of buying or selling? MESSAGE OR CALL US TODAY!

TheWalleye.ca

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C. 807.632.3635 SARAHKERTON.COM

C. 807.620.9057 CHRISHOULE.COM

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From Our Twitter feed

From Markdale to Thunder Bay

W

hen I first arrived in Thunder Bay, I was a little overwhelmed with choices. Who had the best pizza or where was the best campground? Coming from Markdale, Ontario (population 1,325) Thunder Bay was a big city. Through the help of locals and discovering places myself, I would eventually cultivate my own favourites. Now when new residents or visitors come to the city, I’m happy to offer some suggestions on what to do, where to eat, and what to see. But because these are just my humble picks, I always point people to our Best of Thunder Bay survey, something I wished existed when I first arrived here. For many of us, January is a time to reflect on the previous year and this fits perfectly with our cover story where we present the results of our annual Best of Thunder Bay survey. This year we’re very proud to announce that we had a record amount of voters. For our cover story we profile some of the winners that you might or might not

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be familiar with and as always, we encourage readers to check out those unfamiliar places and names featured in our results, potentially discovering a new favourite. And because of the new artists and businesses popping up in the city, we’ve also included some new categories. As part of our Best Of theme, for This is Thunder Bay we ask people what was the best thing that happened to them last year, our sommelier Jeannie Dubois picks out her favourites in wine, beer, cider, and spirits, and Michael Sobota shares his top flicks of 2018. Plus Tiffany Jarva pens a touching tribute to musician Jim Differ, Lindsay Campbell chats with Ryan McMahon about Canadaland’s Thunder Bay podcast, and Nancy Saunders gets the scoop on Red Lion Smokehouse’s big move. Congratulations to all the winners featured in the results and thank you to all those participated. Without your votes the survey wouldn’t exist. - Adrian Lysenko

In Error

Omission: FORM Architecture Engineering created and provided the image for the story “Local Fare Takes Flight” (page 24, Vol9No12).

Featured Contributor Bonnie Schiedel Bonnie has written more than 60 stories for The Walleye since 2011, and joined the editorial team last spring. Formerly an editor at Chatelaine magazine and now a freelance writer, editor, and content consultant, her clients include Today’s Parent, Best Health, RBC, LCBO, and the Arthritis Society, as well as local businesses and organizations. She runs tbaywithkids.ca and loves exploring the northwest with her young family. Her favourite Walleye story so far: interviewing Thunder Bay Nordic Trails manager Peter Crooks. Check out Bonnie’s story on Royston Court on page 84.

On the Cover Best of 2018 By boy Roland


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iPhone XS Welcome to the big screen.

iPhone XR Brilliant. In every way.

Visit The Power Centre 707 Memorial Avenue thepowercentre.ca

™Rogers and the Mobius Design are trademarks of or used under license from Rogers Communications Inc. or an affiliate. LTE service available in select areas. © 2019 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

The Walleye

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TheTOPFive

Mail Run 1 Gunflint Sled Dog Race

January 5 & 6 Gunflint Trail, MN

Jim Stroner

Embrace winter and the rich history of dog sledding by visiting Minnesota for the Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race. Dog teams will navigate over frozen lakes and through forests blanketed in snow, and you can be there to cheer them on. The Mail Run features two races: the original 12-dog 100-mile race event that includes two runs, and an eight-dog shorter and faster race that covers 65 miles. Spectators can set up at the start and finish point at the Trail Center Lodge (approximately 30 miles up the Gunflint Trail), but there are also places to watch along the route. Bundle up in your warmest woolens and get ready to yell mush! Check the website for a route map and more details. gunflintmail.com

TBSO Northern 2 Lights 2: Noondaagotoon January 11 & 12

Comedian of 3 the North

January 18 & 19

If you missed out on this amazing show last year, then now is your chance! In fact, you have two chances, because the landmark Noondaagotoon is returning for two nights. This concert series is an exciting collaboration between Fort William First Nation, Indigenous performers, and the TBSO. Shy-Anne Hovorka will be back with her drum group and will be joined by Nick Sherman and the Lake Superior Singers, with Paul Haas conducting. Noondaagotoon bridges two cultures in a showcase that celebrates the joining of communities. Last year it was wall-to-wall attendance so be sure to get your tickets early. The concert is open to all ages and tickets range from $12 to $42.50 and can be purchased online.

Laughter really is the best medicine, and you can get a double dose of it at this year’s Comedian of the North contest. Hosted by Edmonton stand-up comedian Mark McCue, the two day line-up includes professional and amateur talent both locally and from across Canada. The deal is: 25 comics are given a five-minute set to give it their best to win some big prizes. And that’s no joke! Mark McCue Tickets are $22 in advance or $25 at the door and can be purchased through Eventbrite. All proceeds from the event stay with the community in support of the Hill City Kinettes. This is a 19+ event so leave the kids at home but don’t forget to bring your sense of humour!

Brooke Towle

Italian Cultural Centre/DaVinci Centre

tbso.ca

DaVinci Centre

tbshows.com

SGFMS Presents: 4 The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer

January 19

Derelicte 11 – 5 A Fashion Odyssey

January 26

Black Pirates Pub

Looking for a high-energy show with a lot of boogie, soul, sweat, and harmonica? We know just the thing. Vancouver-based blues duo The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer are returning to the city this January in support of their latest album Apocalipstick. The band, which consists of Shawn “the Harpoonist” Hall, and Matthew “the Axe Murderer” Rogers, has performed on stage with the likes of Taj Mahal and Booker T. Jones, and in 2017 they won Breakout Artist of the Year at the West Coast Music Awards. The Georgia Straight calls their music “a truly fresh take on a whole mess of old sounds.” Tickets are available at Chaltrek, Fireweed, and online. Doors open at 7 pm, the music kicks off at 8 pm.

Touted as one of the best events of its kind in the region (and we agree!) Def Sup’s Derelicte 11 – A Fashion Odyssey is an unforgettable evening featuring a montage of performances including wearable art, live music, video mapping projects, theatre, dance, and contemporary design. Most of this one-of-a-kind art spectacle takes place on a catwalk and includes DJs spinning their own brand of funk as well as a massive raffle giveaway, best DIY fashion, and costume prizes culminating in an end of the night fashionista dance party. Every year it gets bigger, better, and cattier! Enjoy catered refreshments by Sushi Bowl and Sweet Escape Café and Bakery. There’s a $15 cover, with the proceeds supporting DefSup and LU Radio.

sleepinggiant.ca

definitelysuperior.com

Jodie Ponto

Port Arthur Polish Hall

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12. Best wings

21. Best ice cream

1. Chicago Joe’s* 2. Daytona’s Kitchen and Creative Catering 3. On Deck

1. Prime Gelato* 2. Merla Mae 3. TJ’s Ice Cream Shoppe

13. Best nachos 1. Madhouse* 2. The Keg Steakhouse & Bar 3. The Sovereign Room

14. Best taco (new category) 1. El Tres 2. Taco Time 3. Red Lion Smokehouse

15. Best poutine

W

e hope that you look forward to the Best of Thunder Bay survey results as much as we do! It’s always pretty exciting at The Walleye HQ when we’re tallying the votes. Every year there are surprises, and we like surprises. Thank you to our readers for voting, and to everyone in the community for being so awesome at keeping us well-fed, entertained, and inspired. *2017 winner

1. La Poutine* 2. The Sovereign Room 3. Prospector Burger Barn

16. Best burger 1. Prospector Burger Barn*

1. McKellar Confectionery* 2. Coney Island Westfort 3. Hodder Greeks

2. Best coffee

8. Best pizza

1. St Paul Roastery* 2. Calico Coffeehouse 3. Bay Village Coffee

1. Both Hands Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Bakery* 2. Eat Local Pizza 3. Nook

2. Bonobo’s Foods 3. Signature Steer/Uptown Cut

9. Best fries

1. Prospector Steak House* 2. The Keg Steakhouse & Bar 3. Signature Steer/Uptown Cut

1. Prospector Burger Barn* 2. Hodder Greeks 3. La Poutine

4. Best breakfast

10. Best perogies

1. Rooster’s Bistro 2. Niva’s Restaurant 3. Tina’s Breakfast and Lunch*

1. Port Arthur Polish Hall (South Court Street)* 2. Royal Canadian Legion Slovak Branch #129 (Atlantic Avenue) 3. London Variety

6. Best appetizers 1. The Sovereign Room 2. Madhouse* 3. The Foundry

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The Walleye

24. Best beer selection 1. Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. 2. Red Lion Smokehouse* 3. The Foundry

1. Daytona’s Kitchen and Creative Catering 2. Caribou Restaurant + Wine Bar* 3. Bight Restaurant & Bar

7. Best Coney sauce

1. The Sweet North Bakery* 2. Holland Bakery 3. Sweet Escape Cake Cafe & Bakery

1. Northern Logger (Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.)* 2. 360 Pale Ale (Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.) 3. Border Run (Dawson Trail Craft Brewery)

26. Best business lunch

1. Hoito Restaurant* 2. Niva’s Restaurant 3. Kangas Sauna

5. Best bakery

23. Best locally made beer

1. Caribou Restaurant + Wine Bar* 2. Lot 66 Restaurant and Wine Bar 3. Tomlin Restaurant

1. Best Finn pancakes

1. International House of Tea 2. DAVIDsTEA* 3. The Bean Fiend Cafe and Sandwich Bar

1. Tomlin Restaurant* 2. Tony and Adam’s Restaurant 3. The Foundry

25. Best wine list

Food

3. Best tea

22. Best mixed drink

11. Best cabbage rolls 1. Port Arthur Polish Hall (South Court Street)* 2. Royal Canadian Legion Branch #219 (North Cumberland Street) 3. The Commissary Deli & Smoked Meats

27. Best sushi 1. Wasabi Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar*

17. Best prime rib

18. Best sandwich 1. Maltese Grocery* 2. Barbecupid 3. In Common

2. Tokyo House 3. Sushi Bowl

19. Best soup

28. Best pasta

1. Soup Mama* 2. In Common 3. Prospector Steak House

1. Nook 2. Bar Italia Restaurant* 3. Giorg Cucina é Barra

20. Best dessert

29. Best bon bons

1. Prime Gelato* 2. The Sweet North Bakery 3. Sweet Escape Cake Cafe & Bakery

1. Mr. Chinese* 2. Oriental Garden 3. Eddy Lee’s Chinese Restaurant *2017 winner


CoverStory 30. Best noodle bowl

38. Best pub food

1. Thai Kitchen 2. Golden Wok Chinese & Vietnamese Restaurant 3. Oriental Garden*

1. The Sovereign Room* 2. Madhouse 3. The Foundry

39. Best food truck/ trailer

31. Best smoothie 1. The Growing Season Juice Collective*

1. Barbecupid* 2. Local Motion 3. Hot Paddle Pizza

40. Best take out (business name) 1. Thai Kitchen* 2. The Growing Season Juice Collective 3. Man vs. Meat

41. Best caterer (business name)

2. Booster Juice 3. Kelly’s Nutrition Centre & Juice Bar

32. Best salad

1. Salt & Pepper Catering* 2. Daytona’s Kitchen & Creative Catering 3. Pinetree Catering

42. Best roastery 1. St Paul Roastery* 2. Wolfhead Coffee 3. Rose N Crantz Roasting Company

1. Rebel Salad 2. The Growing Season Juice Collective* 3. Madhouse

43. Best patio 1. Bight Restaurant & Bar* 2. Kelsey’s 3. Nook

33. Best veggie restaurant 1. The Growing Season Juice Collective* 2. Bonobo’s Foods 3. Rebel Salad

44. Best new restaurant (2017–2018)

1. Tomlin Restaurant 2. Thai Kitchen* 3. Bistro One

36. Best fine dining 1. Tomlin Restaurant* 2. Caribou Restaurant + Wine Bar 3. Bistro One

37. Best buffet 1. Mongo’s Grill 2. Masala Grille 3. Tokyo House

Brooke Towle

35. Best restaurant

Rooster’s Bistro Story by Ayano Hodouchi Dempsey, Photo by Adrian Lysenko

R

unner-up in the best breakfast category for the past two years (and third place in 2015 and 2013), Rooster’s Bistro has finally made it to the top of the list this year. Located on the corner of St. Paul Street and Van Norman Street, Rooster’s Bistro has been providing breakfast and lunch since 2003. For breakfast, they have the staples covered—pancakes, waffles, French toast and more, with some eye-catching Mexican-inspired

offerings such as breakfast burritos and quesadillas. They also have gluten-free options. The great draw is, however, their eggs Benedict— eight kinds of it including the King/ Lobster, the Ukrainian, as well as the Walleye. For lunch, they have all sorts of sandwiches, salads, wraps, poutines, and soup, but if you want to be inspired, check out their Facebook page for photos of their irresistible daily offerings—you’ll be sure to get a craving for something.

salad-saturated yet, so we decided to go ahead with the idea of opening an eatery featuring one dish that could be as customizable as possible and would allow people to rebel against any fixed menu items.” With her business partners Amy Kelterborn and Sara Boyer, Psenicnik serves over 600,000 possible combinations of wholesome and fresh ingredients, including meat, in their bright little space in the heart of the Bay and Algoma. With a hint of sarcasm, Psenicnik asks, “Who is doing the conga now, Homer?” -Michelle McChristie 2. El Tres 3. Apple Chipotle’s BBQ & Grill House

46. Best bartender

1. Rebel Salad

34. Best kid-friendly restaurant 1. Wacky’s* 2. Daytona’s Kitchen & Creative Catering 3. Montana’s BBQ & Bar

Best Breakfast

In an episode of The Simpsons, Bart and Homer taunt newly proclaimed vegetarian Lisa by singing, “You can’t make friends with salad” in a conga line. Since opening in the summer of 2017, Rebel Salad has proven that you can make friends with salad. Lots of them. “At Growing Season, the demand for a ‘build your own’ type salad continued to increase and we were physically out of space,” says co-owner Jelena Psenicnik. “We had a feeling that Thunder Bay wasn’t fully

1. Donato D’Angelo (Tomlin Restaurant) 2. Joshua Dowbak (The Foundry)* 3. Onur Altinbilek (Black Pirates Pub)

47. Best barista 1. Brian (Bean Fiend Cafe) 2. Keenan (St Paul Roastery) 3. Crystal (Up Shot Coffeehouse)

48. Best head chef 1. Steve Simpson (Tomlin Restaurant) 2. Andrew Stone (Daytona’s Kitchen and Creative Catering) 3. Chris Barnes (The Eddy)

45. Best server 1. Brian (Tomlin) 2. Jordan (The Foundry) 3. Hillary (The Keg Steakhouse + Bar)

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CoverStory

The Arts 49. Best book (2017–2018) 1. The Lightkeeper’s Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol

52. Best makeup artist (new category) 1. Carly Hughes 2. Sarah Martin 3. Kat Best

53. Best drag queen or king 1. Lady Fantasia La Premiere* 2. Jordan Tucker 3. Anita Blunt

54. Best public art installation

2. Above the Old Birch Trees by Micah Pawluk 3. Starless by Evan S. Sullivan

1. DieActive Mural, Definitely Superior Art Gallery, Cooke Street 2. “Traveller’s Return” (Water Drops), Andy Davies, Marina Park* 3. “Wild Life,” Brandon Vickerd, Algoma Street

50. Best photographer

55. Best art exhibit

1. Maria Maria Photography* 2. Damien Gilbert 3. Sarah McPherson

Dave Thomas

Best Caterer

51. Best visual artist 1. Sarah Martin

Salt & Pepper Private Catering

(2017–2018) 1. Sarah Dufresne, Bight Restaurant 2. Urban Infill, Definitely Superior Art Gallery, Various* 3. Uprising: The Power of Mother Earth, Christi Belcourt, Thunder Bay Art Gallery

56. Best mural 1. Waverley Public Library (DieActive/Definitely Superior Art Gallery)

Story by Kat Lyzun, Photo by Laura Paxton

C

all it a streak or call it a hambone (if you’re deep in the bowling scene), but Salt & Pepper’s fourth straight win as Thunder Bay’s Best Caterer has nothing to do with luck. You know what you’re getting when you order from S&P, and that’s by design. Chef and owner Dave Thomas and his staff strive for consistency in everything they make and in the services they provide, whether it’s a business lunch for six or dinner for 200. Appetizers are their specialty, with choices like mouthwatering risotto balls and white cheddar and bacon tarts. Pasta takeout nights are basically the best Fridays of the month and the desserts... oh, the desserts…. Thomas’s favourite though? “I love doing pig roasts. People are always happy and casual, hanging around and talking to me,

10 The Walleye

and taking selfies with the pig,” he laughs. “It’s always a good time.” Thomas says he’s honoured that readers have again given him top props among such impressive competition as Pinetree, A Fine Fit, and The Chanterelle. He also feels that the calibre of chefs in the city keeps Salt & Pepper motivated to evolve and try new things. In the new year they will be bringing back their popular kitchen lunches, but with a twist: three tables will be up for grabs via lottery system, while one will be auctioned off with proceeds going to that month’s charity. Thomas promises an “over-the-top awesome menu,” allowing them to try new things while giving back to the community that’s given them so much support. Follow them on social media to stay in the know @saltpeppertbay.

Visual artist Sarah Martin describes her work as controlled chaos. “I love the non-conforming freedom of it. It has helped ground me through personal and difficult life experiences,” she says. “Painting has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Illustration always came first until I started taking abstract painting seriously in 2014.” The artist has been experimenting with different mediums, but mainly works with acrylic paint for the bold colour intensity. To thin it out for pouring, she has tried everything from glue and water to alcohol and dish soap, playing with different ratios and viscosities to create texture and depth, and to see how the colours will interact with each other. -Adrian Lysenko 2. boy Roland 3. Mary McPherson

2. Cooke Street (DieActive/Definitely Superior Art Gallery) 3. Shout Media (boy Roland)

57. Best art gallery 1. Thunder Bay Art Gallery* 2. Definitely Superior Art Gallery 3. The Creative

58. Best clothing designer 1. Ungalli Clothing Co.* 2. Northies 3. Elfarrow Apparel

*2017 winner


59. Best potter 1. Meg Sheepway - Dog Paw Pottery 2. Brenda Delmas - Be Natural 3. Tim Alexander - Island Pottery*

60. Best crafter (sewing, woodworking, knitting, etc.) 1. Knits by Nat 2. Beauty In The Bay Creations* 3. Made by Meag

61. Best tattoo artist 1. Meg Niittynen 2. Vanessa Presenger* 3. Remy Chunick

62. Best piercer 1. Matt Bressmer

CoverStory

2. “Camp” 3. “Shag”

67. Best place to go on a first date 1. The Marina* 2. Prime Gelato 3. Hillcrest Park

68. Best place to people-watch 1. Intercity Shopping Centre* 2. The Marina 3. Thunder Bay Country Market

69. Best place to impress a visitor 1. Kakabeka Falls* 2. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park 3. The Marina

Julia Prinselaar

70. Best weekend getaway (location) 1. Grand Marais*

2. Alex Cummins* 3. Tabatha Andreason

Natalie Jurcik

63. Best dancer 1. Harmony Appell 2. Stephanie DePiero* 3. Jordan Tucker

64. Best dance studio 1. Army of Sass 2. Studio One Dance 3. Dream Dance Co.*

65. Best dance instructor (new category) 1. Stephanie DePiero (Army of Sass) 2. Harmony Appell (Dream Dance Company) 3. Jordan Tucker (International Dance Academy)

Best Crafter 2. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park 3. Duluth

71. Best hair salon 1. Terra Nova Salon & Day Spa 2. Trenz Hair Studio* 3. La Moda Salon & Day Spa

72. Best barber shop (new category) 1. The Barber Shop 2. Rebel Barbers & Company 3. KINGwest

73. Best clothing store 1. Street Legal*

City Scene 66. Best Thunder Bay-ism 1. “Persians”*

Knits by Nat By Rebekah Skochinski

N

atalie Jurcik rarely goes anywhere without her yarn, needles, and crochet hook. Since starting Knits by Nat five years ago, she has continued to expand and grow her craft. “When I first started, all I could make were scarves and headbands and only crocheted, but slowly grew to learn how to make hats, and, as of 2017, how to knit.” Jurcik’s aunt, a talented knitter, taught Jurcik how to knit over Christmas dinner with some rum and eggnog. “Since then I haven’t been able to put my needles down and have designed a lot of patterns myself,” she says. She prefers to work from pictures of things she likes for inspiration, which requires persistence and a little bit of math. Chances are you’ve seen Knits

by Nat creations around town. Her most popular items are her slouchy hats. Some are dotted with hearts and fluffy pom poms, others are inspired by the iconic and colourful Hudson Bay blankets. She also makes big cozy scarves, headbands, bikinis, home décor items like baskets, pillows, and area rugs, and will be introducing mittens in to the mix this year. Recently, Jurcik added recycled wine cork tags to her designs, which are a nice personal touch and also support her goals of being as earth-friendly as possible. “I think a lot of people forget how happy I get when I see people walking around with my hats,” she says. “I’m just allaround proud that I created something with my own hands that people genuinely enjoy wearing and having.”

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CoverStory Street Legal has been offering the hottest fashion trends for men and women for more than a decade, and this is the second year in a row that they’ve topped our list. The boutique has built a reputation for their stellar selection of quality denim and hot labels like Free People and BB Dakota as well as footwear from Steve Madden and Sam Edelman. What keeps people coming back is the store’s dedication to bringing in carefully curated pieces that can take you from the work week to a casual night in, as well as the latest party looks for a night on the town. It’s all in one place. Plus, they offer an assortment of accessories like watches, sunglasses, socks, and handbags and have great sales throughout the year. Their IG is loaded with fashion inspiration. We might be an isolated city, but Street Legal is proof that style knows no boundaries. -Rebekah Skochinski 2. The Loop 3. mars.

74. Best market vendor 1. Hot Paddle Pizza 2. HomeSlice Bakery 3. Rose N Crantz Roasting Co.

75. Best window displays 1. The Loop 2. Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. (Red River Rd.) 3. The Kitchen Nook/Finnish Bookstore

76. Best new business (2017–2018)

a desire to showcase local culinary treasures, keeping his posts simple and positive as he shares his favourite eats with nearly 2,400 followers. Lee’s top picks include the smoked salmon eggs Benedict from Thyme Restaurant, the “Lucy Special” on a freshly baked croissant from Agostino’s Deli, and “the best burger in all of TBay,” the cheesy bacon burger from Burger Barn. The Eddy also tops his list with their massive Butter Fingers and Fries combo, and Tomlin is his top pick for date night—cocktails and the XL dry-aged ribeye that’s perfect for sharing. For a guy who was never great at English, Lee is honoured to have Munchies chosen as top blog in the city. “That’s what I love about Instagram—I let my pictures do most of the talking. I would like to thank all my followers who have given me nothing but positive support and feedback from day one.” -Kat Lyzun 2. People of Port Arthur* 3. Bay Awesome

78. Best Tweeter 1. @NotJordanTucker ( Jordan Tucker)* 2. @mylakehead (Lakehead University) 3. @morningshowlisa (Lisa Laco)

83. Best comedian 1. Kris LaBelle 2. Chris Holland* 3. Trevor Green

84. Best busker 1. The Bay Street Bastards*

80. Best elected politician 1. Patty Hajdu*

1. Munchies Tbay

2. Shelby Ch’ng 3. Bill Mauro

81. Best local humanitarian (new category) 1. Brian Hamilton 2. Jim Stadey 3. Erin Beagle

also be a program called “Forest Meets Farm,” which highlights wild and cultivated foods and the people who hunt, fish, forage and farm them in a beautiful recipe book. -Tiffany Jarva 2. Urban Abbey 3. EcoSuperior

86. Best issue to debate 1. Crime 2. Waterfront development 3. Roads/potholes

87. Best place for a shag 1. Coliseum Building* 2. Moose Hall 3. Heritage Building

88. Best place to get married

2. Cory Hoogsteen 3. Dee Marie

85. Best grassroots organization 1. Roots to Harvest*

1. Fort William Historical Park* 2. The Chanterelle 3. NorWester Hotel and Conference Centre

89. Best bowling alley 1. Mario’s Bowl* 2. Galaxy Lanes 3. Superior Bowladrome

90. Best golf course 1. Whitewater Golf Club* 2. Emerald Greens 3. Strathcona Golf Course

91. Best hotel

1. @dmangilbert* 2. @tbayalive 3. @munchies.tbay

77. Best blog

12 The Walleye

1. Dee (Rock 94) 2. John Ongaro (99.9 The Bay) 3. Lisa Laco (CBC Thunder Bay)

79. Best Instagrammer

1. Bay Village Coffee 2. Pineapple Express Cafe 3. Olives & Bananas

A new kid on the social media block, Munchies TBay has become a fan favourite in the last year. Creator Nick Lee pairs his love of food with

82. Best radio personality

Over ten years ago, a new not-forprofit organization with the tagline “punks growing food” started in the Bay and Algoma ‘hood. The focus was to get youth involved in all aspects of creating sustainable food. A few years ago, their urban garden moved to the Grandview area. Food grown is sold at the market and used in local school programming and cafeterias and in their signature granola, honey, and cider. “Roots to Harvest uses food as a means to create vibrant, inclusive spaces and meaningful experiences to build belonging and a positive sense of self for the diverse communities we work alongside,” says executive director Erin Beagle. In 2019 watch for Roots to Harvest’s “Culture Kitchen” for newcomer women to explore economic possibilities with food, and a new storefront at 450 Fort William Road. There will

1. NorWester Hotel and Conference Centre* 2. Valhalla Inn 3. TownePlace Suites by Marriott Thunder Bay

92. Best place to play pool 1. On Deck* 2. Shooters Tavern 3. Wacky’s

93. Best place to watch the game 1. Wacky’s* 2. On Deck 3. Shoeless Joe’s Sports Grill

94. Best local sports team 1. Thunderwolves Men’s Hockey* 2. Thunderwolves Women’s Basketball 3. Border Cats

*2017 winner


95. Best local NHL player (current) 1. Matt Murray* 2. Eric Staal 3. Carter Hutton

96. Best athlete (not an NHL player) 1. Haley Irwin*

2. Adam Hopkins 3. Nigel Romick Living Green/Health

came from cheese-producing families. Making Gouda cheese in Slate River Valley since 1995, the Scheps use fresh milk from their own Holstein cows and offer over a dozen different flavours, not counting the different ages—mild, medium, old and extra old. Extra old is aged for two years, resulting in a sharp yet deep nutty flavour with tasty cheese crystals. If you haven’t bought a wedge yourself, you’ve probably had some when you were eating out—from vegetarian restaurant Bonobo’s to BBQ grill house Apple Chipotle’s, Thunder Oak’s Gouda and cheese curds can be found at most local restaurants worth their salt. -Ayano Hodouchi Dempsey 2. Belluz Farms 3. Roots to Harvest

101. Best locally made product 1. Heartbeat Hot Sauce Co. hot sauce

98. Best playground 1. Marina Park* 2. Centennial Park 3. Vickers Park

1. Sleeping Giant Antiques* 2. Black Cat Antiques 3. Deja Vu Consignment

2. Thunder Oak Cheese Farm cheese* 3. Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. beer

100. Best local food producer

102. Best health food store 1. Tim’s Whole Health* 2. Kelly’s Nutrition Centre & Juice Bar 3. Bonobo’s Foods

103. Best place for a bike ride 1. Boulevard Lake* 2. Centennial Park 3. Cascades Conservation Area

104. Best day paddle The Schep family does it again— Thunder Oak Cheese Farm has been winning the Best of Thunder Bay’s best local food producer for as long as we’ve had the category. Founders Jacob and Margaret Schep immigrated to the region from the Netherlands and took up dairy farming and cheesemaking, since both

Hot Paddle Pizza

I

1. Marina Park 2. Centennial Park* 3. Hillcrest Park

1. Thunder Oak Cheese Farm*

Best Market Vendor

By Tiffany Jarva

97. Best park

99. Best antique store

CoverStory

1. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park 2. Hazelwood Lake* 3. Lake Superior

105. Best swimming hole 1. The Cascades* 2. Wild Goose Beach 3. Soldier’s Hole

t’s hard not to get excited when you see the bright red mobile wood-fired oven that is Hot Paddle Pizza at an event. Wellknown (and appreciated) for their wood-fired pizzas like Pear & Blue, Meat Lovers, and the very popular Fig & Pig, Hot Paddle Pizza is this year’s favourite vendor at the Thunder Bay Country Market. “It’s a great atmosphere. There’s camaraderie among the vendors and growers outside, even when the weather isn’t cooperating,” says owner Colby Bergen. “People are in a fantastic mood when they’re at the market. There’s a real strong sense of community.” Since 2014, Hot Paddle Pizza has been baking with fresh, locally sourced ingredients in a brick-lined wood-fired oven fuelled by birch.

The oven reaches a temperature of over 850°F, which means pizzas are done in about nine minutes, contributing to their authentic taste and texture. All the dough for the pizzas is hand-stretched. Bergen switches up the menu weekly, and says he’s happy that regular market customers don’t seem to mind. Bergen also offers cooking classes and catering, including an “oven to your event” package with two hours of service. Guests are invited to watch as Hot Paddle staff prepares food in an open kitchen. And pizza isn’t the only wood-fired treat. Deliciousness also happens when firing up bacon-wrapped and sausage-stuffed jalapenos, as well as wings, including flavours like Heartbeat Chili, Sriracha Lime Buffalo, and Curry Coconut.

106. Best campground

108. Best place to toboggan

1. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park* 2. Quetico Provincial Park 3. Neys Provincial Park

107. Best beach 1. Mary Louise Lake, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park* 2. Wild Goose Beach 3. Neys Provincial Park

1. Balsam Pit* 2. Centennial Park 3. Hillcrest Park

109. Best place to cross-country ski 1. Kamview Nordic Centre* 2. Lappe Nordic Ski Club 3. Centennial Park

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CoverStory

118. Best spa 1. Drift Day Spa 2. Terra Nova Salon & Day Spa* 3. A Spa for You

Music 119. Best place to see live music 1. The Foundry*

a respite from your desperate debts. HHC took their time to make every last second of Grief Rights strike hard, and while that’d be true regardless of where they hail from, the album sounds especially poignant when you’ve walked past the same empty buildings, splashed through puddles of dirty, cold water, and wondered if you have many days left in this city. -Justin Allec 2. Greenbank - Glory Days 3. Secret Baby - It’s a secret, baby

123. Best music video (2017–2018)

By Adrian Lysenko livia McInnis still remembers asking her mom to put her in Magnus Theatre’s summer acting camp when she was six years old. “Performing is my undeniable itch,” she says. “Since I was a little girl I’ve seen the impact art has had on the sometimes ignorant society. Art has its own way of tapping into our humanity. I suppose at the time, I could have never predicted how intoxicating it would become, and how necessary it was for me to pursue it.” Since then, the 20-year-old has played quite a few different roles, most within Paramount Live, including Mother Superior in Sister Act, Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5, Ursula in The Little Mermaid, and Mrs. Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie, to name

a few. But acting isn’t her only role in theatre. McInnis has also directed many productions as well. “I can confidently say that directing is the most challenging, riveting, and explosive dynamic I have ever experienced within a theatre,” she says. “I was lucky enough to be immersed and supported through it by an incredibly talented co-director and team, but I can honestly say that there is no harder, scarier, or more rewarding job than inspiring and leading an ensemble.” As for the future, the actress has recently been accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City to study stage and screen acting. So be sure to keep an eye out for this young actress, as she’ll surely be making waves.

110. Best indoor rink

115. Best gym/fitness club

1. Thunder Bay Tournament Centre* 2. Fort William Gardens 3. Grandview Arena

1. Movati Athletic Thunder Bay* 2. Canada Games Complex 3. PUSH Fitness Centre

113. Best outdoor rink

116. Best yoga studio

1. Marina Park* 2. North End Community Centre 3. Tarbutt Park

1. The Bodymind Centre* 2. Moksha Yoga Thunder Bay (Modo Yoga) 3. Movati Athletic Thunder Bay

114. Best fitness instructor 1. Amy Slemko 2. Kim Francis 3. Andy Noga

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117. Best yoga instructor 1. Paula DiGiuseppe* 2. Kim Veneziale 3. Kelly Rooney

124. Best singer 1. Nancy Freeborn

120. Best karaoke 1. The Foundry* 2. The Bar 3. Paulucci’s Wayland Bar & Grill

121. Best place to dance 1. The Foundry 2. NV NightClub* 3. Tony and Adam’s Restaurant

122. Best album (2017–2018) 1. The Honest Heart Collective - Grief Rights

2. Ryan MacDonald 3. Carly Martin*

125. Best guitarist 1. Kevin Heerema*

Kay Lee

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2. Crocks 3. Black Pirates Pub

Kay Lee

Olivia McInnis

Kay Lee

Best Actress

1. The Honest Heart Collective “Separate Ways” 2. The Honest Heart Collective “I’ve Got You” 3. Railgun “Tension”

This album has allowed the The Honest Heart Collective to explode. It’s just a half hour of rock music―not long at all, but in that time you’ve traipsed for miles in their worn shoes. You know the band’s grown older with these snarled choruses, the rumbling bass, and especially the soaring guitar lines, and now the invitation’s been extended to you. So where do these songs take you? From absolute rock bottom with a hard left onto easy street, followed by some drunken midnight rambling as

2. Cam Thomas 3. Nathan Bortolon

126. Best bassist 1. Joey Miller 2. Nic MacDonald 3. Will Trembley

127. Best drummer 1. Jay Savage* 2. Peter Reslinski 3. Derek Baker

*2017 winner


CoverStory

128. Best keyboardist/ pianist 1. Danny Johnson 2. Elle Kay* 3. Glenn Jennings

129. Best DJ 1. DJ Big D 2. Miss Temperance 3. Kevin Cernjul

130. Best solo artist 1. Arley Hughes

(L-R) Mary Walker, Jen Wolski, Jenny McPhail, Nancy Freeborn, and Sami Chong

137. Best electronic act

Patrick Chondon

1. Sarah Hakala

Best Blues Band

The Angies Story by Justin Allec, Photo by Keegan Richard

2

2. Jean-Paul De Roover* 3. Sarah Hakala

131. Best rock band

2. Ocean City Defender 3. The Shallow Void

1. The Honest Heart Collective* 2. Altamadum 3. Phoebe the Feeb

138. Best blues act

132. Best folk act 1. The Bay Street Bastards* 2. Greenbank 3. Kyle Shushack

133. Best metal band 1. Femur 2. Railgun 3. Norris

134. Best rap artist 1. Beat Farm 2. Webster Death 3. Solomon

135. Best jazz act 1. Mood Indigo* 2. Robin Ranger 3. Martin Blanchet Jazz Quintet

136. Best punk band 1. The Bay Street Bastards* 2. Forever Dead! 3. Piggybank

1. The Angies 2. The Roosters 3. The Camden Blues Band

139. Best choral group 1. Thunder Bay Community Choir 2. Sounds of Superior Chorus 3. Fort William Male Choir

140. Best country band 1. Scott van Teeffelen & The Backroads Band* 2. Back Forty 3. The Cartwrights

018 was a busy year for The Angies. It was only a year ago that these five women committed to the idea of a Rolling Stones cover band. By the time The Angies played their second gig though, things escalated. While you can’t ever forget The Angies’ source material, they’ve worked those classic songs over to the point of owning them. Of entering the Thunder Bay Blues Society competition as a challenge to themselves, lead singer Nancy Freeborn says, “We thought it would be a fun thing to do since we were just starting out…When we won we were like ‘Whoa! Okay, I guess we’re a blues band now!’” After the whirlwind trip to Memphis to represent Thunder Bay, The Angies also rocked the Waterfront with a set at last year’s Thunder Bay Blues Festival. It’s easy to see why The Angies

are prized. On stage, the band plays hard and dares the audience to have as much fun as they are. Though they want to stay close to their roots, they also never intended to simply be a blues band. “We do have an original blues song that we performed as part of our entry into the local Blues competition…[but] we want to write more originals, and I think that we’ll find ourselves exploring other genres for that,” Freeborn says. Sadly, she also mentions that due to some commitments the band won’t be playing as much in 2019. “Once we have all of our original members back in business we may be ready to take over the world,” Freeborn laughs. “Okay, maybe just a local bar once a month, but we’re cool with that!” The world tour may have to wait, but we can still enjoy them ripping up our stages.

2. Kathleen Moore 3. Theresa Thibert Film and Theatre

144. Best film director

141. Best cover band 1. Plan B (The Band)* 2. Morning Light 3. Page 38

142. Best music instructor 1. Denise Krawczuk

143. Best film (2017–2018) 1. Where the Poppies Grow 2. Northern Kicks 3. Angelique’s Isle

(2017–2018) 1. Damien Gilbert* 2. Michelle Derosier 3. Jessica Graham

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CoverStory

149. Best local actress (2017–2018) 1. Olivia McInnis 2. Carly Martin 3. Jaime Morrison

150. Best local actor (2017–2018) 1. Spencer Hari 2. Derek Roy* 3. Noah Boeckner

Events 151. Best festival 1. Thunder Bay Blues Festival* 2. BrewHa! Craft Beer Festival 3. Ribfest

152. Best fundraiser 1. The Hunger*

(L-R) Arden Bruyere jamming with Quayson Williams and Nathan McChristie

Best Street Fair

Bay & Algoma Buskers Festival

145. Best film festival 1. North of Superior Film Festival

2. Empty Bowls, Caring Hearts 3. The Really, Really, Really Long Table

Story by Michelle McChristie, Photo by Maria Artiga

F

or a weekend in July, the streets of the Bay and Algoma neighbourhood come alive as an eclectic group of buskers set up shop to entertain anyone who will stop to watch and listen. This year will mark the seventh year of the festival, which has grown in every way since its inception. Last summer, an estimated 8,000 people attended the biggest event to date, according to festival director Brian Hamilton. So, who were the crowd favourites at TBay’s best street fair? “George Kamikawa, a.k.a The Japanese Cowboy, really drew the crowds,” says Hamilton. “He’s a oneman blues band from New Zealand. But the crowd favourite was probably the giant fish balloon costume that roamed the streets and is in almost every photo of Buskers 2018.” The festival area is closed to vehicle traffic, so it’s a safe environment

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to stroll between the performance stages, shops, restaurants, and vendors while soaking up the spirited atmosphere and sunshine. Hamilton is quick to point out that support from the community, especially a core group of dedicated volunteers, has been key to the event’s success. “We had a compact organizing committee this year but, come festival time, the volunteers brought their A-game—we had more than 20 volunteers and a solid clean-up crew.” As for 2019, Hamilton says the organizing committee will balance sustainable growth with retaining the great vibe that has been critical to their success. To those who voted Buskers Fest the best, Hamilton says, “We are honoured and blessed to have the support of such a positive and creative community. At Buskers, there are no spectators. Everyone is a part of the urban landscape.”

153. Best free event

2. Terror in the Bay 3. Vox Popular Media Arts Festival*

146. Best local theatre production (2017–2018) 1. Downton Abbey Road (Badanai Theatre) 2. James and the Giant Peach (Superior Theatre Festival) 3. Broadway on Bay (Applauze Productions)

147. Best theatre director (2017–2018) 1. Candi and Lawrence Badanai 2. Marcia Arpin 3. Thom Currie

148. Best theatre troupe 1. Magnus Theatre 2. Paramount Live* 3. Cambrian Players

1. Live on the Waterfront* 2. Ribfest 3. Movie Nights on the Waterfront

154. Best street fair 1. Bay & Algoma Buskers Festival 2. Ribfest 3. Festa Italiana

155. Best kids’ event 1. Gammondale Pumpkinfest* 2. Teddy Bears Picnic 3. Live on the Waterfront

156. Best new event (2017–2018) 1. BrewHa! CaskFest 2. Karnival on the Kam* 3. Terror In the Bay Film Festival

159. Best question we forgot to ask 1. Best Radio Station 2. Best Chiropractor 3. Best Condiment


DREAM BIG GET THE SKILLS DO THE JOB

W A P P LY N O

confederationcollege.ca The Walleye

17


Food

Merry and Bright Winter Salad serves 4-6

2 Tbsp fig balsamic vinegar (or other high-quality balsamic) 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp toasted walnut oil (or high-quality olive oil) 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced ¼ tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 head radicchio 100 g mixed baby greens 2 Bosc pears, cored, quartered, and sliced into ½” chunks ¾ c toasted walnuts, rough chopped ½ c fresh pomegranate arils 100 g gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway

Whisk together vinegar, lemon, and mustard. Slowly drizzle in walnut and olive oils, whisking continuously to emulsify. Add in garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.

Slice the radicchio in half, remove the core, and slice it perpendicularly into ¾” thick ribbons. Combine radicchio and mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Add pear, walnuts, and pomegranate arils. Lightly coat the greens with dressing and gently toss to combine. Top with gorgonzola and serve immediately.

PRE-RENOVATION SALE Entire Month of January

By Chef Rachel Globensky

A

h, January, you with your thermometer mercury buried so deeply—our car tires square in the mornings, heavy parkas rustling, and snow squeaking so loudly underfoot we can’t hear coworkers clomping up beside us in their Sorels. But, ahhh January, you with your clear ice blue skies—our eyes dazzled by sun glinting off pristine dustings of your overnight snow as we whizz along the groomer’s fresh corduroy (or trackset!), the busy holiday season behind us for another year, resolutions made, and intentions set still as fresh in our minds as the overindulgence hangover subsides. Or, stuff it all! you say—I’m heading out on the next flight south,

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flip flops and sunscreen in hand! Whatever your view on January in Northwestern Ontario, it’s gonna happen in all of its snowy, frigid glory, so if you’re here, you might as well get used to the idea. And, as you’ve spent the last two months cozied up in a comfort-food haze, your taste buds may be craving something a little lighter and brighter. Enter the winter salad. Wait! Hear me out. Jewel-like pomegranate arils (fancy word for seed pods) are nestled amongst chunks of pear, toasted walnut pieces, and crumbled gorgonzola, with radicchio ribbons, and baby greens dressed in a figgy take on a simple balsamic vinaigrette. Yeah, see? All good in the wintry ‘hood.

CLOSED FEBRUARY TO RENOVATE

290 Bay Street | (807) 345-2641 Shop online at www.finnport.com


DRINK OF THE MONTH

Food

Cherry Sour Tomlin Restaurant

Story by Rebekah Skochinski, Photo by Adrian Lysenko

Inscrivez votre enfant Consider our school for your child

INFORMATION EN FRANÇAIS

IN ENGLISH

mercredi 6 février 18 h 30

Thursday February 7th 6:30 pm

We may have different reasons for seeking liquor-free libations once the calendar is set to January, but just because the month is going to be dry doesn’t mean it needs to be dull. Tomlin tops the list of makers of memorable mixed drinks (as our Best of Survey attests), and this also extends to their selection of zero-proof cocktails. Their cherry sour begins with a base of cinnamon-infused pure black cherry juice, housemade vanilla, pecan bitters, fresh squeezed lime, Verjus (for tartness), and Seedlip Spice 94—an innovative, citrusy, non-boozy spirit with notes of cardamom. Shaken with egg white for a frothy decadence, the drink is finished with a mist of non-alcoholic orange bitters. It dances with spicy and sweet flavours that linger long on the palate. In other words, it feels, tastes, and looks just as special as the real thing. In this case zero proof is 100% perfect.

Tomlin Restaurant 202 ½ Red River Road 346-4447

Service de garde disponible / Child care available

École catholique Franco-Supérieur 220, rue Elgin Street THUNDER BAY 344-1169

Haven’t spoken French in a while? Not sure if your child is eligible? Come to the information session or give us a call. We would love to talk to you about the possibilities for your child.

Join us at

TheFrenchBoard.ca The Walleye

19


BEST SERVED WITH THE

PEOPLE YOU LOVE You don’t need a special occasion to make you and the people you’re with feel special. From classic steak dinners to appetizers you can share with friends, you’ll always feel celebrated at The Keg.

Balmoral St & Harbour Expy | 807.623.1960 | kegsteakhouse.com

STEP ONE

STEP TWO

DEEP BREATH

CALL US

CELEBRATING OVER 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

CELEBRATING OVER 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

MASCARINS.COM

20 The Walleye

(807) 623-0515


Food

Brew it Yourself

O

ne of the latest beer style crazes in craft beer and home brewing can be found in the hoppy haze of New England-style IPAs (NEIPAs). This newish style of IPA is known for being “juice-like” and cloudy in appearance. Within the last couple of years, breweries all over the world have started focusing on brewing fruity IPAs that are big on juicy hop aroma and have a thick haze that looks incredible on Instagram. I was so fascinated by this new beer style back in the fall of 2017 that I flew to New England just to check them out at the source. Travelling with my brother-inlaw/co-brewer Derrick, we visited breweries like Tree House, Trillium, and Night Shift, trying as many of these hazy beers that we could find. Unlike the West Coast IPAs that we tend to brew regularly, NEIPAs were full-bodied and looked just like orange juice in a pint glass. They leaned towards having very low hop bitterness but always had monstrous dry hop character. I found that a lot of the breweries used citra hops in their NEIPAs, which produces amazing flavours like grapefruit, lime, and tropical fruits. Locally, Dawson Trail Craft Brewery produces a great example of the style: Bae’s Haze. It’s nice and juicy, has a gorgeous golden colour, and is frequently available at the brewery as well as at some local pubs. Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. also brews small batches of the haze, which have only been available in their tap room (as far as I know). Other examples available in the province are Nickel Brook Brewing Co.’s aptly named Wicked Awesome IPA, Dominion City Brewing Co.’s Sunsplit IPA, and Bellwoods Brewery’s Jutsu (now available for delivery to Thunder Bay through the power of the internet). This style of beer is perfect for those beer drinkers who love hops as well as those who don’t tend to like bitter ales and those who are new to craft beer. To brew a NEIPA at home, there are number of things that

The Haze Craze of New England IPAs (NEIPAs) By Josh Armstrong, PhD, BJCP Certified Judge

you should consider in your recipe. First, you need to use a huge amount of American fruit-forward hops in your recipe. These will provide the needed juicy character for the brew. To enhance the haziness of the look of the brew, use a fair bit of high-protein malts like wheat or oats. The extra proteins will combine with the hop acids to produce a more stabilized haze. Further, keep the bitterness low by adding most, if not all of your hops at the end of the boil. It is also important to adjust your water chemistry so that your chloride levels are higher than you would normally use in an IPA. Try to end up with an approximate ratio of around 2.5:1 of chloride to sulfate when making your salt additions. This will enhance the mouthfeel and balance of the beer while still accentuating hop character. Your choice of yeast strain should be a low-attenuating, low-flocculating, ester-forward one such as London Ale III from Wyeast (1318) or Dry English Ale yeast from White Labs (007).

A final suggestion for your NEIPA recipe would be to add a copious amount of dry hops, somewhere around 30-45 g per gallon. Many brewers play with adding the dry hops at different times including during active fermentation.The theory is that the yeast may biotransform the hops creating new flavours and unique aromas.

Know the Ledge – New Englandstyle IPA

(38 L, all-grain) OG = 1.061 FG = 1.012 IBU = 52 SRM = ~5.9 ABV = 6.5%

Water

60L of Lake Superior

Malt Bill

6.7 kg Golden Promise malt (68.5%) 2.1 kg German Pale Wheat Malt (21.5%) 780 g flaked oats (8%) 200 g Crystal 60 (2%)

Check out our NEIPA recipe on the sidebar called “Know the Ledge.” Named after the Eric B. & Rakim song from the 1992 movie Juice, we developed this recipe and brewed it in anticipation to our trip to Boston. Don’t doubt the clout, you know what this beer is about.

Hops

40g Columbus hops (14% alpha acid) at start of boil 100g Columbus hops (14% alpha acid) in whirlpool 240g Amarillo hops in 1st dry hop addition 120g Amarillo hops in 2nd dry hop addition 90g Amarillo hops in 3rd dry hop addition

Yeast

The Yeast Bay – Vermont Ale

Instructions

Adjust water chemistry to hit target mineral levels. Mash for 60 minutes at 65°C. Boil for 60 minutes and add hops as indicated. After completing the whirlpool, cool wort to 18°C and pitch yeast. Dry hop in 3 stages (1) In active fermentation; (2) at the end of fermentation; (3) in the keg. Ferment for two weeks at 20°C-22°C.

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Food

The Best Is Yet To Come

I

By Jeannie Dubois, Certified Sommelier

f hindsight is truly 20/20, then we are only one short year away from being able to reflect with perfection on the past. As it is, the outlook for 2019 is stacking up to be pretty stellar so far with all the forward momentum in the beverage industry over the past year. Old world elegance continues to trend heavily in the Ontario wine industry with classy rosés, traditional

sparkling wines, and heady blends still showing strongly. Forever the darling for flavoured styles, vodka has taken to the sidelines and made room for a vast array of sweet, spicy, and savoury whiskies, the ubiquitous drink of Canadians. Continuing to up the ante as well for distinct and diverse styles, the craft beer industry has delved into

some very weird science with sours, hazies, and milkshakes that turn heads. Finally, the burgeoning craft cider industry has kept on trend with the popular and pretty rosé variety, farm-to-table fruit crossings. and hybrid wine and cider styles. Salut! Think:

Trending Wines:

Pink:

Bubbles:

Blends:

Tawse Sketches of Niagara Rosé

Contraband Sparkling Riesling

The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy

Ontario Vintages No. 400127 $15.75 for 750ml

Ontario LCBO No. 149237 $19.95 for 750ml

Baking:

Fruit:

Bevvie:

Spicebox Gingerbread

J. P. Wiser’s Apple Whisky

Quebec LCBO No. 438846 $16.45 for 375mll

Ontario LCBO No. 474585 $28.95 for 750ml

Kavi Reserve Coffee Blended Canadian Whisky

Tart:

Fuzzy:

Frothy:

Side Launch Brewing Co. Dry Hopped Sour

Parallel 49 Trash Panda Hazy IPA

Rochester Mills Beer Co Milkshake Stout Seasonal Sampler Pack

2017 - Ontario LCBO No. 172643 $17.95 for 750ml

Trending Spirits:

Ontario LCBO No. 497891 $29.95 for 750ml

Trending Brews:

Ontario LCBO No. 578898 $3.25 for 473ml

British Columbia LCBO No. 634584 $3.15 for 473ml

USA LCBO No. 630954 $20.95 for 6 x 473ml

Trending Cider:

Blush:

Berry:

Hybrid:

Brickworks Ciderhouse Rosé Cider

Pommies Cranberry

Shiny Apple Cider with Pinot Noir

Canada LCBO No. 625236 $3.40 for 473ml

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Ontario LCBO No. 544809 $3.35 for 473ml

Ontario LCBO No. 515098 $3.55 for 473ml


FI S HI N G I CE

DON’t let a LITTLE ice KEEP YOU FROM the c at c h o f a l i f e t i m e

experience world-class ice fishing in greenstone. JUST 2.5 HOURS EAST OF THUNDER BAY.

V ISI T G R EEN S T O N E . CA The Walleye

23


Celebrate Winter

Present this coupon for

10% OFF

+ join us for seasonal tour offerings during the festive season

your first catering order! Coupon valid until Jan 31 2019

Escape the typical. Explore great tasting food. Book Pineapple Express for your next catered event. Fuel your excellence! Visit 223 South Algoma Street or call 807-344-8918 to book today. Visit www.pineappleexpresscafe.com for full menu.

+ choose an urban food tour or an outdoor adventure + celebrating local food, stories and place Visit: seekadventureandtours.com Or Call: 807-701-7100

80 S. Court St., Thunder Bay

Your Car Care Centre! Th e name you can trust!

sales@auto-onecars.com www.auto-onecars.com

PHONE: 807-344-2644 TOLL FREE: 1-888-568-9716

OPEN Mon-Fri 8am-6pm Sat 9am-3pm

The Management and Staff of Auto-One would like to thank all our loyal customers for your support and trusting in our Auto-One Service over the 2018 year. Because of you, we can continue to give you quality service and we will always strive to do better.

We wish you Health, Happiness and Prosperity in 2019. We service all domestic & import vehicles plus light duty trucks. From oil changes to major engine repair we do it all and at Low Shop Rates. Tire Repairs to New Tires, Auto-One has you covered. We carry a huge stock of new tires from Cooper Tires to many other major brands including environmentally friendly tires by Techno Tires at very low prices.

24 The Walleye

Happy Year Happy New Holidays

From Auto-One Car Care and Service Centre


Food

(L-R) Melanie Bergeron, John Murray, Hailey Hollinsworth, and Paula DiGuiseppe

Red Lion and Friends Relocate New Ventures Under a New Roof

Story by Nancy Saunders, Photo by Adrian Lysenko

R

ed Lion Smokehouse is relocating from its current location at Cumberland and Park, to around the corner into the former Crocks/The Office space at 16 South Cumberland Street. John Murray and Alexandra Bono, the owners of the restaurant that opened in 2014, purchased the building and have invited some friends to join them in their move. The new concept is one of symbiosis—retail spaces that provide Red Lion with products and services will line one wall, bringing expanded and diverse options to the ever-blossoming downtown core. With windows between the restaurant and the shops, patrons of Ungalli Clothing Co., Big Lake Pasta, and La Luna Wellness Studio get a

view to the bustling pub, while Red Lion patrons can see how local businesses produce and showcase their work. The restaurant plans to open by March, with retail spaces opening in January. Ungalli has been on the Thunder Bay clothing scene since 2013. Several local businesses choose Ungalli for their uniforms and promotional items, including Red Lion. Owned by sisters Hailey and Bree Hollinsworth, the company offers Canadian-made and designed garments fabricated from recycled polyester and organic cotton. Ungalli’s new space will consist of a storefront where you will find Ungalli items as well as a selection of local clothing, jewelry, and other goods.

Big Lake Pasta, a favourite among restaurants and home cooks since July 2015, is moving their operations and retail space. Owner Andrew Murchinson makes his pasta in small batches using traditional recipes and techniques. One of the few items Red Lion offers that is not made in-house, Big Lake Pasta will continue to be featured on Red Lion’s menu with new items coming in the new year. Paula DiGuiseppe and Melanie Bergeron are La Luna Wellness Studio, a full-spectrum wellness studio. “We have yoga, dance fitness, breathwork, kettlebell, bootcamps, a nutritionist, traditional Indigenous dance...” says DiGuiseppe. They offer group and private lessons, from beginner to advanced. La Luna has

worked with Red Lion on Pints & Poses events, and will help develop new vegan and gluten-free menu offerings through the restaurant’s focus on healthy eating options. “Red Lion will follow the same concept, with new events, new menu items, a private dining area, and large dining room,” says Murray. “We’ll have more beers on tap, games, darts, foosball, and a more ‘loungey’ feel. It’s a bigger capacity, and we’ll have a summer patio. We’re turning everything up!” Created from an interest in exploring ways to partner together and provide multiple offerings under one roof, this exciting new move is surely something to look forward to.

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Food

Tea Horse Sipping in Style

Story by Deanne Gagnon, Photos by Adrian Lysenko

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hen Marc Bohemier and Denise Atkinson attended the Toronto Tea Festival last summer, they did not anticipate that it would be a “transformative experience,” as Bohemier describes it. “We were planning on checking it out for an hour,” says Atkinson. “Then we ended up staying for two days. Everybody was so down-to-earth, really active, and enthusiastic and passionate about it.” By the end of the festival, they knew they had to bring this kind of tea to Thunder Bay. The name Tea Horse originates from the ancient Tea Horse Road, a trading road developed in 640 AD from China to Tibet through the Himalayas. The logo, designed by local artist Lora Northway, encompasses the concept of East meets West. “It’s really cool that it’s this link between the eastern and western world... there is a lot of depth and kind of a philosophy that you bring people from different cultures together around kind of a simple thing. Hot water and dried leaf,” says Bohemier.

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The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and thoughtfully designed, with an eclectic mix of repurposed items and thrift store treasures. The “Eastern” side boasts a wall of traditional Chinese canisters and teaware displayed on beautiful wooden shelves, once part of an old shed, refinished by Bohemier. The “Western” side includes a vintage fireplace and large table with plenty of seats, encouraging a sense of community. A wide variety of whole leaf teas, tea wares, teapots, and gaiwans (for preparing tea in traditional Eastern style) are available for sale. All their teas are ethically purposed from reputable Canadian buyers. Tea tasting events will be offered. Those who visit Tea Horse will be taken on a journey—Darjeeling from India, oolong from Taiwan and Shu Pu’er from Yunnan. As Bohemier says, “It won’t be like any tea you’ve had in your life, I guarantee you.”

281 Bay Street 630-8292 teahorseteas.ca


R A E Y NEW S L A GO

& WASTREVICES E SOLID LING S RECYC

FOR YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION, COMMIT TO REDUCING WASTE. HERE IS HOW: 4

Refuse | Say no to plastic bags in stores – bring your own instead.

Reuse | Charitable organizations and thrift shops are happy to take reusable items you no longer need.

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Reduce | Take reusable containers and bags for lunches.

Repair | Be handy! Fix those items instead of replacing them.

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Recycle | Recycle everything you can.

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Rethink | Think about waste before you buy. Avoid ‘disposable’ products.

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For more information on reducing waste, please visit: thunderbay.ca/recycling

簀   䄀氀氀 圀栀攀攀氀 䐀爀椀瘀攀  栀愀猀 渀攀瘀攀爀 氀漀漀欀攀搀 戀攀琀琀攀爀

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FilmTheatre The Second Most Pleasurable Thing We Do In the Dark. A Column About Movies

Favourite Films of 2018

By Michael Sobota

Courage is the solution to despair; reason provides no answers. I can’t know what the future will bring; we have to chose despite uncertainty. Wisdom is holding two contradictory truths in our mind simultaneously—hope and despair. A life without despair is a life without hope. Holding these two ideas in our head is life itself. - Rev. Toller (Ethan Hawke) in First Reformed

T

his year-end reflection on favourite movies is always a challenge. I watch close to 200 movies a year, and about 60 of those are new that I see for the first time. I began building this column with a short list of 23 titles. I only have physical space to talk to you about four. Sigh. Above all other qualities, I crave good writing—tell me a story that has some value and meaning in our time, with characters and plot development that I care about. The movies you will find on my year-end list are all incredibly strong stories. Some are made by directors you might know, but all of them are full of things you will recognize— emotion, life, love, heart. My single qualifier is that this list was compiled by mid-December, therefore I have not had access to some possibly fine, late-breaking films.

The Girl in the Fog

First Reformed

The Guilty

Leave No Trace

Adapting his own novel for the screen, first-time director Donato Carrisi gives us a story about a girl who disappears. Fifteen-year-old Anna Lou, daughter of strongly religious parents, leaves her home in the northern Italian village of Avechot. En route to church she vanishes. A high-profile investigator, Agent Vogel (a superbly humming and preening Toni Servillo) comes to the village with an assistant to investigate. Within days he has whipped the national media into a frenzy and recruited a small army of staff to push the investigation forward. Carrisi develops this swirling mystery with edgy and juicy reveals all the while grounding the story in characters we believe in and come to care about. There is a series of clever storytelling that bring the mystery to a monstrous yet credible conclusion.

Writer/director Paul Schrader is a most profane film maker, known mostly for edgy, sexy, provocative stories. Now in his 70s, he has turned his attention to the subject of faith and its relevance in modern life. Rev. Toller (Ethan Hawke in a grounded, nuanced, superb performance) is the caretaker of a small, white clapboard New England church, First Reformed. It is about to celebrate its 250th anniversary. He befriends a young couple (Amanda Seyfried and Philip Ettinger) in the small congregation and when the husband, after counselling from Toller, kills himself, the story deepens and darkens simultaneously. First Reformed is a spiritual movie, a parable about hope. It is profoundly moving.

Director and co-writer Gustav Möller (with Emil Nygaard Albertsen) gives us the thriller of the year. Set in a Danish police station (this is the only location and the station has only two rooms), the film stars Jakob Cedergren in a searing, deeply affecting performance as Asger Holm, a failed cop who has been demoted to alarm dispatcher, answering phone calls and dispatching other active cops to do the real police work. As he ends his shift one night, he takes a call from a woman who tells him she has been kidnapped. Then he loses the caller. For the next hour and a half, Holm grapples with tracing the call in a desperate effort to locate and assist the woman before time runs out. We feel caught in the claustrophobia of this isolated police station while nearly bursting with the pent-up emotion of the narrative. This is a masterful screenplay brilliantly performed and executed.

Deborah Granik is another director working with from a script she cowrote (with Anne Rosellini). A father, Will (Ben Foster) lives with his young teen daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie) off-the-grid in a lush, northern Oregon forest. The early scenes establish for us what this life is like for them and how they are careful about its secrecy. They are happy. That happiness is shattered when they are discovered, removed from their familiar surroundings and placed in a modern house in a modern town. The contrast in the two physical environments is heart-opening. Tom begins to adjust but her dad, living with PTSD as a military veteran, is pushed to his breaking point and they escape from the physical walls, beginning their journey back north to the forest. Granik gives us a closing scene like no other you will experience this year. She also has given us the greatest love story you will see on any screen this year. Leave No Trace is a cinematic masterpiece.

Here are ten more of my favourite 2018 movies. I want to write about all of them. I will simply urge you to find them and experience them wherever you can. They are all worth your engagement: Anthropocene, Blindspotting, Dogman, Damsel, Lean On Pete, BlacKkKlansman, The Rider, Thank You For Your Service, Three Identical Strangers, Tully, Isle of Dogs, and Zama.

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New year, new you, let’s talk about mental health! Book online, no wait list, covered by most extended heath plans. Appointments available for kids, teens and adults. Carrie Nyitrai MSW, RSW Expressive Art Therapist Creative Counselling Thunder Bay 807-626-0345 creativecounsellingthunderbay.ca

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FilmTheatre

CRAIG BLACKLOCK PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS, FREE ARTIST TALK, AND ART EXHIBITION THIS FEBRUARY

Applauze Theatre will Bring it On

Musical Tells the Story of Competitive High School Cheerleading By Marcia Arpin

D MORE INFO ABOUT THESE EVENTS AT

GrandMaraisArtColony.org 218.387.2737

irector Denise Krawczuk has gathered a team of talented youth actors aged 13–17 to sing, dance, and tell the story of competitive high school cheerleading in Bring it On. This contemporary musical is sprinkled with sass and inspired by the hit film of the same name. Uniting some of the freshest and funniest creative minds on Broadway, Bring It On features an original story by Tony Award winner, Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), music and lyrics by Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights, Hamilton), music by Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal), and lyrics by Broadway lyricist Amanda Green

(High Fidelity), and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical. The story is a complex journey of friendship, jealousy, betrayal, and forgiveness. Krawczuk emphasises the script’s theme as exploring diversity, inclusion, and acceptance of others. With a colourful assortment of characters, choreography by Tessa Lesschaeve, and a live band led by Danny Johnson, this universal story is sure to be everything that you hoped for and nothing like you expected. Actress Rachel Johnson describes the rehearsal process as uplifting and hard work. “Denise knows what she wants and is always looking out for everyone in the cast. Everyone is involved. I am excited to share the

end product.” Actress Nicole Parisien adds, “The soundtrack and songs are fantastic. It expresses issues that are relevant to teens and it is funny.” Actress Cassandra Colistro is also excited to participate in the production. “No one likes my character until the end and then she is accepted,” she says. “The play gives a good message of never judging others.” Colistro also stresses, “Every song is vibrant, energetic and fun for audiences.” Bring It On will be performed January 15–18 at the Finlandia Hall. Proceeds to support Boys & Girls Clubs of Thunder Bay. For more information visit applauzeproductions.com.

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FilmTheatre

(L-R) Foad HP, Bobby Knauff, and Carole Cunningham

(L-R) Miki Hughes and Garry Roy

Laughs for a Great Cause The Comedian of the North Contest By Amy Sellors

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n a cold January night, it’s important to stay warm. This month, stay toasty by enjoying hilarious comedy and donating to charity at the same time. The Comedians of the North Contest on January 18 and 19 is good for your heart and good for your soul. Blacklisted Comedy hosts this event and brings 25 hilarious comedians from across Canada to Thunder Bay for two nights of fantastic comedy, Miki Hughes is the brains behind this exciting event. Hughes is a comedy trailblazer who won Thunder Bay’s Comic Idol in 2017. She founded Blacklisted Comedy and runs open mic nights to help develop more comedic talent in the city. The Comedian of the North Contest began last year. A tremendous success, last year’s event sold out and raised $16,000 for charity. “Thunder Bay has never had an event like this,” says Hughes. “It’s very different from other comedy events in the city. For $50 you can get a weekend’s worth of entertainment and all the money raised goes to charity.” Located in the Michelangelo Room at the DaVinci Centre and hosted by professional comedian Mark McCue, the event’s 25 professional and amateur comedians

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perform their best five-minute set. Last year’s winner, Bobby Knauff, will headline. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three comedians by a panel of judges comprised of local comedy professionals. Evaluated on professionalism, stage presence, and content, comedians are judged on criteria taken directly from the “World Series of Comedy” scorecard. Performance KIA and the DaVinci Centre are major sponsors of the event. To raise more for charity, there will also be door prizes and a 50/50 draw. The Hill City Kinettes will disperse the funds raised to local charities. A few of the local charities they support are Cystic Fibrosis Canada, AIDS Thunder Bay, RFDA, CNIB, and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Passionate about animals, Hughes helps our furry friends with a portion of the funds going to LDR (Local Dog Rescue). Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 at the door, and you must be 19 or older. You don’t have to attend both nights, but it’s a great experience if you do. For more info visit the Comedian of the North Contest Facebook page. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

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FREE UNGALLI T-SHIRT IF YOU REGISTER BY JANUARY 8TH The Walleye

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TheArts

Cell

From Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s Collection

By Andrea Terry, Acting Curator, Thunder Bay Art Gallery Artist: Frank Shebageget Title: Cell Date: 2010 Medium: Aluminum, nylon fishing net, steel fishing hooks, string, airline cable Dimensions: 254 × 254 × 254 cm

F

rank Shebageget’s large-scale sculptural installation “Cell” is the Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s most recent acquisition, made possible with the gallery receiving the 2018 York Wilson Endowment

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Award, administered by the Canada Council for the Arts. Made of nylon fishing nets, steel hooks, aluminum angles, and rods, this minimalist work evokes the luminous underwater world of fish and the act of fishing. For Shebageget, the work also recalls his childhood growing up in Upsala, a small, unincorporated community 144 kms north of Thunder Bay. There he would spend hours alongside his siblings in his family home untangling fishing nets for his father.

Currently based in Ottawa, Shebageget continues to draw inspiration from the culture and history of Northwestern Ontario. The installation specifically speaks to the regional history while also emphasizing innovative ways of articulating it. “Cell” uses standard fishing materials and transforms them into an awe-inspiring work of contemporary art. It is currently on display in the gallery as part of the exhibition LESSONS: The Artistry of Learning, on until March 3.

Of the acquisition, Shebageget states, “I am very proud to have ‘Cell’ housed in my traditional territory at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. I began art school in 1992, but my art education actually started a few months earlier at the gallery, with a summer job installing the works of Carl Ray, Benjamin Chee Chee, Edward Poitras, Robert Houle, Jane Ash Poitras, and Daphne Odjig. I am honoured to be amongst the works that helped shape me as an artist.”


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Avenue II Community Program Services (Thunder Bay) Inc.

Magnus Theatre in Education is the premiere theatre training facility in the Thunder Bay area. Our classes and masterclasses are taught by professional actors, directors and educators

MAGNUS MINIS/YOUTH (Ages 6 – 8 and Ages 9 -12) $110 Saturday, January 12th – March 9th (no class Feb. 16th) @ 10:00 am - 11:15 am (ages 6-8) / 11:30 am - 12:45 pm (ages 9-12) This is a great way for a child to develop self-expression and creativity while building their self-confidence. Students will explore improvisation, story-telling, creative movement, music and imaginative theatre games. The session concludes with a performance for invited family and friends. COLLABORATIVE PLAYBUILDING (Ages 13 – 18) $189 Monday, February 4th – Monday, April 8th (no class Feb. 18th or Mar. 11th) 6:00 – 7:30 pm Students will learn the basic techniques of collective creation (theatre created by a group around a given theme) in order to collaboratively create a short piece of theatre. Students will explore writing, staging and performance. This session is perfect for both beginning and experienced actors and playwrights! TECHNICAL THEATRE FOR TEENS (Ages 14 – 19) $199 + $10 Equipment Kit Tuesday, January 15th – Tuesday, February 19th 6:00 – 8:00 pm Are you interested in learning what happens behind the scenes? Technical theatre is an integral part of what we do at Magnus. Get involved in stagecraft, exploring scenic design and construction, painting and prop making. This program coincides with our production projects so that practical skills are developed through real experience. TELL STORIES THROUGH SONG (Ages 16+) $250 Thursday, February 28th – Thursday, April 4th 7:00 - 8:30 pm This exciting practical course will help you become a better singer and musical theatre performer, with skills, strategies, and individual coaching in a group setting from an established professional.

TO REGISTER, VISIT MAGNUSTHEATRE.COM/EDUCATION OR CALL 345-5552 Please note: Class fees are non refundable Plus tax where applicable

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Avenue II Community Program Services is a non-profit organization that supports adults with a developmental disability. Avenue II services include employment, residential supports, community activities and customized passports services. The Nomination Committee is seeking applications from community members over the age of 18 years who are interested in joining the Board of Directors for a 3 year term who share the interests of the organization. Meetings are normally held from September to June. Please submit a resume to the:

Nominating Committee C/O Avenue II 122 S. Cumberland St. Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5R8 Or email to avenueii@tbaytel.net Check out our website at: avenueii.com

Live, Learn, Succeed

TOTAL INCLUSION THROUGH PEOPLE

The Walleye

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TheArts

Def Sup’s Annual Event is Turning Heads in Toronto and Montreal By Kim Latimer

D

efinitely Superior Gallery’s annual wearable art show, Derelicte, is bringing international exposure to Thunder Bay artists. The art spectacle keeps extending its reach further through online photography and social media, film. For example, Michel Dumont’s spike dress from two years ago was discovered by TFO, a French language television network based in Montreal, through a photograph posted online by Def Sup. TFO contacted Def Sup to track down Dumont, then sent a film crew to Thunder Bay to interview him. “I was shaking before the interview. I never imagined that would happen,” says Dumont, who is a selftaught artist, maker, and designer. Coincidentally, he says seeing Derelicte pop up on his Facebook feed 10 years ago is also the reason he rediscovered his art. “Derelicte and its online feed has changed the game,” he says. “I was dissuaded from making artwork for 20 years, dealing with homophobia in Thunder Bay, but 10 years ago when this art show came across my feed I submitted.” One of Dumont’s chosen mediums is tailoring and making entire costumes and shoes from extensive layers of cellophane, packing tape, 3D printing, and LED

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lights. Since the spike dress made its debut at Derelicte, Dumont has sold his work in Toronto and Montreal, and just recently completed a Banff Centre for the Arts residency where he met curators from Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam. Followers and curators from around the world are watching his Instagram page. Perhaps it’s because there are few opportunities to see distinctly original, local wearable art on a catwalk in the north that local artists are being sought out for their distinct concepts. Derelicte has been filling the void in wearable art in northern Ontario for the past 10 years. Artists from all genres and background are invited to submit their work, and the result truly is an “odyssey” of wearable and performance art. At the show, models are often helped or lifted onto the stage make it down the runway in their wearable art. “Derelicte is a blending/fusion of all art forms that works symbiotically with arts and local fashion entrepreneurs. It’s music-fashion-performance-wearable art and 600 people attended it last year,” says David Karasiewicz, artistic director, Definitely Superior Art Gallery. “This year there are 15 original multi-art pieces/performances

Dave Andrew

Derelicte 11

planned for the one stage at Black Pirate’s Pub.” One artist to watch is Barbara Benwell, who will be showing new original pieces this year. Her work speaks to her interest in social justice, equity, and access for marginalized women. She incorporates emotional experiences inspired by personal life events including pregnancy, prenatal access to care, birth, miscarriage, cancer, and death. “I’m told my work is very relatable to part of the community and I think it shows people that they are not alone in these experiences,” she says, adding that it’s more than just the cumulative work on the catwalk, but also the process of creating the work that she inspires her most. “In the one I did about my dad’s death, I made it with these large metal balls that hang from the dress, and it’s physically about holding the weight of death. When I was making it my hands turned black from the oils on


TheArts births, I wanted to create that in this piece about normalizing birth a little more,” she explains. “I’m so thankful Definitely Superior gives me the opportunity to make space in my life for art, it can be hard.”

Black Pirates Pub January 26 definitelysuperior.com

Michel Dumont

Keegan Richard

Chad Kirvan

the metal—my dad was a mechanic so my hands looked like his.” Benwell is completing her Master’s degree in social justice and this year, her work focuses on birth in populations including First Nations and refugee groups. “In the research group ‘Equity and Birth’ we interviewed 40 women about their births and only one had a non-medicalized experience. Women didn’t talk options like midwives and home

Lisa Rose Macchione

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TheArts

T

hunder Bay’s visual artists have the opportunity to work in a new communal space designed just for them. Create Space is located in a historic red-brick building at 301 Simpson St. Create Space features a 2000-squarefoot, open concept area for artists to work in. They will also receive a custom-built locker for storage and 24-hour access to the building. Owner Chris Talarico is a local musician and artist and fell in love with the building at first sight. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Talarico is active in the theatre scene, and writes and produces his own music. Revitalizing the building and honouring the history of the area have become passions of Talarico alongside supporting our local artists. “I really want to help further connect Thunder Bay to its art community,” he says. “The space will include a break room for artists and the facility will be maintained so that the artists can just focus on being artists.” The space is safe and secure, and Talarico is also setting up a social media hub to link all the artist’s webpages and social media accounts to help promote them. This will be Thunder Bay’s only communal art space of this size. With such a large building, Talarico has more plans to develop other aspects of the building over time, creating more room for creative space. For more info visit their Facebook page: @ createspacetbay

Create Space New Communal Art Space Pops up on the South Side

Story by Sarah Kerton, Photo by Adrian Lysenko Chris Talarico

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TheArts

Hunting for a Great Shot with Jayden Belisle

Young Manitouwadge Photographer’s Mature View of the Natural World Story by Wendy Wright, Photos by Jayden Belisle

J

ayden Belisle is a young photographer with a mature view of the natural world he sees through the lens of his camera. Belisle hails from Manitouwadge and also spends a fair amount of time two hours north at the family camp near Caramat. All of his photos have been taken within 100 km of one of those regions. When I speak with him about going out in search of that special shot, he explains to me how he grew up hunting and fishing. Tracking, searching, and having patience in the wild comes naturally. Recently he had just spent a week exploring near Caramat for ever-elusive owls. This is one of his favourite subjects to shoot, along with lynx

and moose. The fox photos on his website came via the fox den near his camp—the wide open mouth of a fox in full yawn on the home page is exquisite. Belisle has been getting serious about photography for about three years, with help and encouragement from his sister, a pro photographer, and an aunt who is a serious amateur photographer. He is also taking an interest in astrophotography, shooting the night sky. He says he is “fascinated with this art form that brings an interesting perspective of nature and our environment in general.” The young photographer sets up four to five game cameras around camp and checks to see where the animals are. He follows their tracks and figures where they might be going. One of his favourite shots is that of his first lynx. It seems that half the thrill is what actually goes into getting that picture—the planning, the waiting, the hunting, sometimes for weeks. He tracks footprints of moose or lynx and finally gets rewarded with that look from a wild friend. We all know that special feeling when a part of nature seems to allow us into their world for just a second and there is a connection. Belisle’s photos are a connection to those moments. To see Belisle’s work please follow him on Instagram at @jaydenbelislephotography, Facebook at @ JaydenBelislephotography, or visit his website jaydenbelislephotography.com.

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TheArts

Art to Last a Lifetime

Local Artist Ray Atwood on Tattoos, Kitbashing, and Narrative By Ayano Hodouchi Dempsey

R

ay Atwood has worked many jobs in his life so far, but tattooing is the one. “This is the first job I’ve held for more than three years,” he says. “It’s stressful; you might put in 16-hour days for weeks on end, but when you’re passionate about something, that cliché is true—love what you do and you won’t work a day in your life.” A graduate of Lakehead University with degrees in fine art and education, Atwood was living in Geraldton when someone gave him some old tattoo equipment. He’d had a keen interest in tattoos all his life, getting his first one by the owner of Underground Ink, Fenton

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Gilbert, when he was 18. He started tattooing on himself and his friends and eventually called up Gilbert to ask if he could help around Underground Ink to watch and learn. Gilbert later gave him a room as his studio and Atwood started working as a tattoo artist. That was five years ago, and now he is fully booked for 2019. Time for smaller projects can open up, but large projects such as a full sleeve are time-consuming (about six fullday sessions spread out over six months) so he can only book a limited number a year. He also hopes to save a little time for himself to work on other

creative outlets, such as painting and a new interest, kitbashing. Kitbashing is a newer trend where artists take pieces from model kits and combine them with other things to make something original. Atwood’s first one is of a robot sitting on a part of a moose skull, cradling a dead bird in its arms. “Just imagine all these little robots, running through the bush, hiding from people and picking up poor little dead birds,” he says. “Super fun!” He has paintings on the walls at Underground Ink and one at Def Sup’s juried exhibition, Untamed (until January 12). He approaches painting the same way he approaches tattooing; focusing on the narrative and giving it depth. “You know there’s something more to it,” he says. “Like my little robot guy. He looks kind of sad holding the dead bird—did he kill it? Is he mourning? Something to make you ask questions, and keep looking.” Atwood says it’s bittersweet when he completes a tattoo. “It’s

this art form that’s permanent, walking around, living on people, but then it’s gone. You take a bunch of pictures and hope they come back.” When Saskatoon tattoo artist Chris Wenzel recently died and asked for his skin to be removed from his body to be displayed, Atwood thought that would be awesome. “If someone’s interested in having my tattoos, it would be like donating an organ. What a cool way to live on!” It would be even better if one of his clients asked him to do it with one of his own tattoos. “I’d be pumped!” To see more of his work find him on Instagram at @rayatwood.


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TheArts

Lessons: The Artistry of Learning Showcasing the Processes and Privileges of Artistry and Knowledge By Savanah Tillberg

T

he Thunder Bay Art Gallery is preparing to kick off the 2019 season with its next major exhibition, Lessons: The Artistry of Learning. Lessons is an exhibition that will include the works of several acclaimed artists from Thunder Bay and surrounding communities. Pieces by Zoe Gordon, Sarah Link, Jean Marshall, Riaz Mehmood, Frank Shebageget, Mavourneen Trainor, Crystal Nielsen, and the late Moses Amik Beaver will be featured collectively in this show, which aims to showcase the various processes that go into creating art, in addition to the final products that visitors will admire. The concept behind Lessons was developed by Dr. Andrea Terry, who is the acting curator at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and a visual arts instructor at Lakehead University. Terry explains that this concept came from her combined professional experiences, which have allowed her to see pieces from established artists as well as observe the creative processes of her students. She says that especially though her position as a curator that she has been “stunned by how much knowledge [the artists] have and how wide ranging their skills are.” She adds, “I wanted to bring that awareness to a wider public.” Nielsen is contributing two paintings and three wet-needle-felted sculptures to Lessons. Her pieces are embedded with cultural and generational knowledge. Wetneedle-felting is an art that was taught to her by her grandmother, and her paintings are inspired by her family’s journey from Denmark to Canada. Trainor, another of the eight featured artists, explains that her pieces pay homage to a number of other artists who have inspired her and that her pieces themselves

feature the creative processes that come before a piece is finished. Nielsen feels that “learning is a gift,” and that we often do not get or take the opportunity to learn entirely new things. The hope for this show is that it will inspire curiosity in those who visit the exhibit and impart knowledge onto all who are able to attend—artists and spectators alike. The opening reception for Lessons: The Artistry of Learning will take place on January 17 at 7:30 pm at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and will feature a documentary film screening.

Jean Marshall, Untitled, 2017, elk hide, wool cloth, beaver fur, glass beads, imitation sinew, thread

Mavourneen Trainor, Birth of an Idea, 2010-2014, digital print on archival paper using archival inks

Moses Beaver, Lament of the Loon, 2005, acrylic on canvas

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Outdoor

Ice in Motion Paul Berger

Skating on the Big Lake

By Emma Christensen

F

Mike Zettek

or a small group of local adventurers, skating reveals a perspective of Lake Superior that few people get to see. With change as the only constant, Paul Berger approaches the experience with careful preparation and a healthy dose of respect for uncontrollable natural forces. Berger has kept a digital record of his 20-plus years of Lake Superior skating through hundreds of photographs. The image’s human subjects—including his partner Helle Møller and his friends Mike Zettek and Julian Holenstein—skate on surfaces that appear to be liquid, surrounded by ice formations in unearthly blue and green hues. January and February are the best months to anticipate the periods of cold, calm, and clear weather needed to allow portions of the lake

44 The Walleye

to freeze sufficiently. Berger begins “ice watch” at the end of December with the help of online satellite imagery from NASA. Even when good conditions and a minimum of five centimetres of ice exist, Berger is adamant about taking precautions, carrying safety equipment, and choosing a relatively sheltered location—such as Amethyst Harbour or Wild Goose Bay—to try Lake Superior skating for the first time. “I would never discourage people from going out to skate but I would ask that they are prepared and they learn slowly,” he says. Even in protected areas, he says, “the possibility exists that the ice will blow out or the big waves will come and break the ice up.” Ice picks or axes are essential for testing ice thickness and for getting out of the water in an emergency


Outdoor

Paul Berger

situation. Berger also recommends carrying a throw rope, a first aid kit, and a change of clothes. Although some people won’t set foot (or blade) on the ice without a personal floatation device, Berger opts to wear a helmet instead of a PFD. He reasons that avoiding head injuries and unconsciousness is key to his survival should he fall through. Proper equipment and knowledge allows Berger to take in this one-of-a-kind experience without undue fear of endangering himself or others. “We don’t go out there to scare ourselves,” he says. Berger takes to the ice in search of solitude, brilliant sunsets, and a source of endless fascination. It’s the transience of the ice—and the knowledge that it could change completely by tomorrow—that makes the experience memorable.

Paul Berger

Paul Berger

Mike Zettek skating by Shangoina Island

Paul Berger

Paul Berger

Mike Zettek skating in Lehtinen’s Bay in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

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CityScene

Disrupt It Weekend Test Driving Business Ideas in 54 hours By Alyson MacKay

H

ave you ever thought you had a good idea for a business but weren’t too sure it would work? Did you wish for an opportunity to give it a try with no risk? That chance lies in an exciting annual weekend-long event called Disrupt It Weekend, returning for its fifth year this February. Disrupt It kicks off with participants presenting their ideas in a quick two-minute pitch format. From there, the participants vote on

what ideas they would like to move forward with and work on over the course of 54 hours. Teams form organically around these ideas and spend the remainder of the weekend working in their teams until the final pitch to the judges on the last day. Don’t know much about how to launch a business? Don’t worry—that’s where the coaches, mentors, and members of the organizing committee come in. They are there to help you. The weekend also

patty.hajdu@parl.gc.ca I 1-888-266-8004

includes workshops in areas such as financial literacy, business planning, and how to pitch to the judges. Disrupt It Weekend sees participants ranging in age from 14 to 65 pitching a wide variety of ideas. Past participants have pitched ideas from mobile cat grooming units to subscription-based home gardening services. Ideas pitched at the finals in front of judges have included cricket protein powder, tiny house villages, and technology-based customer service retention models. It’s really an anything-goes kind of event and the organizers are looking forward to seeing what ideas the participants will come up with this year. Previously Disrupt It has gone with a theme for the weekend, but this year the organizers have decided

EXTERIOR FINISHING THUNDER

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PATTY HAJDU Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North

46 The Walleye

to leave it wide open—all ideas are welcome. Participants don’t need to come with a team or an idea; they can join a team and work with the idea that they liked best. This year Disrupt It will be giving away over $5000 in cash prizes to the winners, along with follow-up support for business development. This year’s event is being held in the new TEC Hub at Confederation College from February 1 to 3. Cost for the weekend is $50 for students and $75 for adults. Register before January 7 to get a free Ungalli t-shirt. To register or find out more information please visit disruptit.ca. Alyson MacKay is the manager of the new business incubator, Ingenuity, located on Lakehead University campus.

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The family of Jim Differ would like to thank the Thunder Bay community for giving Jim such a memorable good-bye at the Lakehead University Outpost on Sunday December 2nd. Although Jim was born in Toronto, he found a home in Thunder Bay, and his Toronto family are so grateful to the many friends, family members, colleagues and musicians whose outpouring of love (and heartfelt music) made our grief that much easier to bear. Thank you.

The Differ Family (Barb, John, Val, Hiatt, Kate). The Walleye

47


welcome to

KINDERGARTEN ! night Monday, January 28th, 2019 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre

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48 The Walleye


CityScene

One Of The Boys

The Story of Change By Jolene Banning

Sean Morriseau

S

ean Morriseau, a young Anishinaabe from Fort William First Nation, has been writing since he was old enough to hold a pen in his hand. “I wanted to write something meaningful, a true story that Indigenous youth could find inspiration for turning their life around,” he says. Morriseau recently

published his second novella, One Of The Boys, inspired by his lived experience, geared toward adolescents—particularly those living in a smaller community or who feel there isn’t much to do. His book tells the story of a teenage boy named Harvey who loses his mother, and has to navigate the trauma that comes from such a loss and learn the hard way how to walk on the right path. Of course, it’s never easy. As a teenager, you want to fit in, and have difficulty expressing emotion or talking to your dad, and then there’s the stereotype messaging most boys hear: boys don’t cry, man up. Harvey doesn’t cry, and he doesn’t talk about the pain he feels from losing his mom. The friends he hangs out with also come from troubled homes, poverty, or are being raised by grandparents. With few good role models around, the

boys make poor choices, which eventually lands them in hot water. Now the boys have to deal with the consequences of their actions. Harvey is assigned community service at a nursing home to help care for an elder named Bear. The two of them butt heads as they get to know each other. Will Harvey learn from his past mistakes? Will Bear get through to him? Can a young, troubled teen actually connect with an elder from a different era? The book is an important read for younger teens who struggle to step out on their own and take their own path instead of following the crowd. This book will let you know not only is it okay, but it’s often the better path. It is a hopeful story, that lets the reader know life can be good. One Of The Boys can be found at most online bookstores. For more information visit facebook.com/ OneoftheBoysBook

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CityScene

Shave, Haircut, and a Brew

The Barber Shop Gets Liquor Licence Story and Photos by Adrian Lysenko

C

▼ Bryan Fresco

ustomers at the Barber Shop can now enjoy a cold beer as part of their grooming experience. “From Toronto to Winnipeg, I’m the first in the North,” says owner Bryan Fresco. “What guy wouldn’t want to sit back, have a beer, and get his haircut?” For Fresco, the license has been a long time coming, as he’s been dreaming of the opportunity for more than 10 years. “I first saw it in Calgary and I just thought that I wanted to do that with my dad’s barbershop. So 12 years ago we kind of started the journey,” he says. “I wanted to learn how to crawl before I could start running. So I took over my father’s business and I started growing it slowly, and in my third year I brought in another employee and that’s when I realized guys were asking for it and I thought I had built up a big enough clientele that this was the time.” Fresco’s father Armando started the business as Armando’s Barber Shop in 1961 after immigrating to Thunder Bay from Italy a few years earlier. Shortly after opening, Armando’s Barber Shop became a Westfort staple. Although he passed

away before seeing his son’s idea come into fruition, Fresco says his father would have been proud. “My dad was innovative like that. He innovated a store next door, he owned a little restaurant next door, and he always looked at expanding his wings and reaching for a bit more,” Fresco says. “At first he would have said ‘you’re crazy, son’ but I think he would have liked it.” With Fresco’s Deli (owned and operated by Fresco’s brother, John) next door, the Barber Shop will also be offering customers a sandwich to go with their beer. Fresco recommends the Barber Shop special: a sandwich with mayo and mustard, calabrese salami, hot capocollo, red onions, and banana peppers. “There’s no better lunch combo. You come in for a sandwich, beer, and a haircut. I don’t think there’s anywhere in Canada where you can do that, let alone in Thunder Bay,” says Fresco. “I just think it’s an ultimate experience.”

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CityScene

GO LOCAL THUNDER BAY COUNTRY MARKET

Cheers for Chai Story by Krista Power, Photos by Marty Mascarin

T

he first thing you will notice when you approach the attractive wooden booth of the Chai Station at the Thunder Bay Country Market is the fantastic smile of the proprietor, Sabah Rahmath. The second thing you will notice is the wonderful aroma of the chai. If you choose to have a cup, you will be delighted with the creamy smooth taste of her traditional chai. On a chilly day, this special blend of tea will hit the spot. The Chai Station is new to the Country Market, located on the second floor. Rahmath is excited about this new adventure. She has been touched by the enthusiasm and support by customers, visitors, and other vendors. “The community at the market is wonderful. My first Saturday was overwhelming and people were so excited to try the chai,” she says. Rahmath and her family came to Thunder Bay seven years ago for a few reasons, one of which was to pursue her goal of achieving a Master’s degree in Public Health. Her family has been taken with the city and appreciates the sense of connectedness in the community, especially at the market where

everyone comes together to share their offerings, their talents, and their wares. Rahmath learned to make chai from her parents, who were born and raised in Hyderabad, India before eventually settling in Calgary in the 1980s. She points out that the making of chai differs from region to region. Spices can vary, along with how light or dark the tea is, but Rahmath enjoys making a simple chai, with milk, black tea leaves, and cardamom. She brews the chai at the market. Each pot takes between 45 minutes and an hour to brew. She notes that her biggest difficulty at present is keeping up with demand, because her tea takes time to develop the delicious sweet and savoury taste. She is interested in expanding her offerings in the future, perhaps exploring other varieties of chai for enthusiasts to sample. Be sure to get your taste of the Chai Station on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Country Market. The tea comes in one size at $3 per cup. Travel cups are welcome. You can also follow the Chai Station on Instagram, although, fair warning, it will make you long for a cup of Rahmath’s fabulous chai.

Sabah Rahmath

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53


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CityScene

Better Than Burning A Quick Look at Vaporizers By Justin Allec

T

he following article discusses dried herb cannabis vaporizers. While these products are distinct and separate from nicotine vaporizers (i.e. e-cigarettes) there is some overlap in terminology and technology. Current research suggests that burning cannabis releases over 100 chemicals, some of which are potentially carcinogenic. While cannabis vaporizers aim to avoid releasing those chemicals, the vapour cannot be considered harmless— you’re still ingesting something that will change your body chemistry. Among the familiar glassware displays in a head shop, you’re guaranteed to see another tool for cannabis consumption that looks industrial in comparison: the

vaporizer. The theory behind vaporizers is that the typical methods of cannabis smoking that use a lighter for ignition—such as a joint or pipe—are overkill, as they burn the cannabis at over 1000°F. However, cannabinoids and terpenes—the chemicals which produce cannabis’ effects—can be released from dried herb as vapour when heated between 300° and 400°F. Inhaling vapour feels “cleaner” and less “harsh,” as the lower temperature allows you to enjoy the cannabis’ flavor. Other advantages are that vaporizers don’t really smell when being used, and greatly reduce the amount of ash and residue. All vaporizers are made up of an energy source (such as a battery or

electricity for a desktop model), a closed chamber where the cannabis is heated, a temperature-specific heating element, and a delivery system for inhalation. A good vaporizer, even a small portable one, is comparable in price to a fine piece of glass, so you’re going to be spending a bit more up front. For the occasional user, a small portable model is ideal; the Utillian 420 or the Atmos Jump are priced at around $100. The Utillian has a better temperature range, but both vaporizers feature USB charging, are easy cleaning, and fit in your pocket. If you’re a regular user looking for a reliable friend, both MacKenzie Davis of Rainbow and Rejeanne Runciman of Bedlam/ TrixXx recommend checking out the DaVinci brand, either the smaller Miqro or the Ascent starting at around $250, which allow better temperature control, quicker heating, and more ceramic and glass parts to improve flavour. Of course,

sometimes that couch is calling you, in which case a stationary model might serve you better. The Arizer Extreme Q at around $300 has more bells and whistles than you could want—including a remote— and uses either a hose or a bag as a delivery system. For the committed, the gold standard in desktop vaporizers is the legendary Volcano, made by Storz & Bickel of Germany. Runciman and Davis gushed over this vaporizer, despite its premium price, as the Volcano offers that high level of German engineering and reliability that most companies can only aspire to. Be warned that this is really just scratching the surface when it comes to vaporizer technology. However, whether you’re an occasional or habitual cannabis consumer, it’s worth knowing how vaporizers work. The end result may be the same as using tried-and-true methods, but sometimes the experience matters.

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55


CityScene from where you sleep, eat, and entertain friends. In this way, creativity has been inextricably linked with the personal and domestic. Hansen has wrapped up the creative with the domestic in a solid warm hug. Hansen’s favourite tools are her serger and her sewing machine. Both are simple and easy to use— and both are over a decade old. In the past, she has considered upgrading, but realized she’d rather spend a bit of time and money repairing what she already owned. And although Hansen sources some material and fabric online, the vast majority of what she works with is upcycled from pre-existing items. She likes to say that her “creative ethos is meant to be in direct contrast to fast fashion.”

Wall Space

What’s Inside... A Sewing Studio? Story and photos by Leah Morningstar

T

uija Hansen of Tuija Hansen Fibre Designs makes oneof-a-kind creations with a variety of fabrics and fibres and a combination of sewing and felting. Hansen has been busy transitioning from student life to full-time artist and is often seen at a variety of craft sales and markets all over the city. Having recently returned from an artist residency in Iceland and with a brand new studio space, Hansen was excited to give readers a peek into where it all happens.

56 The Walleye

“When I’m in the zone and working hard and concentrating, it’s important for me to be comfortable in my surroundings,” says Hansen. It’s familiarity and creature comforts that motivate her to keep creating. Any given day, Hansen can be found working and sewing while natural light pours through the windows. The walls are completely covered in art, plants are growing, and big fluffy cats are purring. There’s something so comforting about having your creative space a few feet

Keeping things simple and refraining from discarding still-useful items ties in with the entire philosophy of Tuija Hansen Fibre Arts: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Why throw something into the landfill when it can be repurposed? Don’t get a new sewing machine, but rather, fix the old one; don’t throw out that old sweater, but rather, upcycle it into mitts and scarves. It’s a brand new year and Hansen cannot wait to continue growing and expanding, clothing the people of Thunder Bay in her unique and delightful designs. Everything is handmade and—quite literally—homemade. For more information visit tuijahansen.com.


CityScene

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The Walleye

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CityScene Thunder Bay

TBay vs. TDot

Median income (after tax)

Ontario

Toronto

$32,400 $30,641 $27,958

Median monthly shelter costs (owned)

$876

$1,299

$1,496

Affordable Living By Anthony Noga, Research Analyst, Northern Policy Institute

W

Thunder Bay Median income (after tax) Median monthly shelter costs (owned)

Ontario

Toronto

$32,400 $30,641 $27,958 $876

$1,299

$1,496

Thunder Bay

e’ve all heard that the high costs of gas, electricity, and food make living in the north unaffordable, but Thunder Bay is it true? Let’s take a look at some Survey, and, if it held for the years cost of living indicators to find out in between, the median Thunder how Thunder Bay stacks up against Bay homeowner could have saved the rest of the province. upwards of $25,000 on their home To dispel a common myth, livcompared to their provincial equivToronto ing in Thunder Bay does not mean alent. The gap in price is much closmaking less money than you could er when it comes to renting, but the make elsewhere. In 2015, the medimedian renter in Thunder Bay still an earner in Thunder Bay actually paid less than 70% of the median Source: Statistics Canda, 2016 Census; 2011 National Household Survey Source: Statistics Canda, 2016 Census; 2011 National Household Survey made 5.7% more than their provinrent in Toronto. cial counterpart, and almost 16% The median value of a home in more than the median earner in Thunder Bay is roughly $170,000 no surprise that Thunder Bay fares while earning a comparable income. Toronto. less than the provincial median, and better than average for affordable Stay tuned for Northern Policy To explore the affordability of about $371,000 less than in Toronto. housing. According to Statistics Institute’s upcoming commentary housing, we use “shelter costs” as Not only are homes in Thunder Bay Canada, 30% or more of a houseexploring how these, and other costs, an indicator. Shelter costs include less expensive, but they are genhold’s income being spent on shelcompare for a family of four in cities all mortgage/rent/condo fees, as erally bigger. Thunder Bay homes ter costs indicates unaffordable throughout the province. well as property taxes and utilities, average nearly one-and-a-half extra housing. In Ontario, 19.8% of homeThis data was collected as a part including heat and electricity. With rooms compared to Toronto homes, owners are living in unaffordable of an upcoming NPI commentary all these costs factored in, in 2015 and for about a third of the price. housing, compared to only 10.2% of by Anthony Noga, A Tale of 10 Cities: the median Thunder Bay homeownBetween the similar incomes, and homeowners in Thunder Bay. And Cost of Living Comparison between er saved $423 a month compared to much lower home prices, a person in Toronto, a whopping 27.4% of Northern and Southern Ontario. If the provincial median. That’s $5,076 can pay off a mortgage more quickhomeowners are living in unaffordyou’d like to learn more, sign up for over the course of the year, and ly in Thunder Bay than many other able housing. NPI’s updates on its website, north$7,440 less than a Toronto homeplaces in the province. It seems that Thunder Bay resiernpolicy.ca, to be notified as soon owner. There was a similar differGiven these favourable indents have significantly lower shelter as the commentary is released. ence in the 2011 National Household come and housing statistics, it’s costs than the rest of the province

BRUNCH IS BACK for the season! Sundays 11-3 Your feelings, your look.

220 Red River RD 807-343-9277

270 Bay Street (807) 622.6989

The Walleye

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CityScene

This is Thunder Bay Interviews by Nancy Saunders, Photos by Laura Paxton To kick off 2019, The Walleye asked you what was the best thing that happened to you in 2018.

Brenda: The best thing that happened...I was thinking of last night while we were

decorating for Christmas. It was my youngest grandson’s kindergarten graduation, and the principal always asks them, “What’s your favourite colour?” “What do you wish for the most?” and “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And he said, “I want to be closer to my nana, I want to be a policeman, and I love the colour blue.” And I can’t get it out of my head. You know, when he said ‘nana’ I thought, “Oh, just beautiful.”

Jessica (and Brianna): The birth of my daughter Brianna almost eight months ago.

Srishti: So for me it would be coming to Canada for Christmas and New Year’s.

My brother has just come to Canada for the first time and is away from family, so I’m here visiting him and I have a lot of fun. 2019 is welcome with lots of snow and lots of fun.

Saarthak: The best thing that happened was that I came to Canada on student visa and I’m here for two years at least for my master’s course and I couldn’t be happier. Best thing about 2018 is Canada!

60 The Walleye

Mariah: I got a nephew. My sister was pregnant—she announced it last Christmas, and so this year on June 30 I got a little nephew. I see him every Sunday…we have Sunday lunch and he comes over, and it’s really awesome to see him. He’s so cute!


CityScene

One Time Brew Co. Changing the Way Thunder Bay Experiences Beer

Story by Daniel Grant, Photos by Michael McKenzie

B

eer lovers rejoice! There’s a new beer experience coming to Thunder Bay, with the goal of not only captivating your taste buds, but captivating your mind at the same time. One Time Brew Co., labeled a boutique brewery, will be opening late spring 2019 at 415 Fort William Road (at the old Waterfront Winery) and will be a mandatory spot for anybody who loves flavourful, bold, and even experimental beer. Master brewer Robert Bell started brewing his own beer five years ago on his kitchen stove. Three years later, his unique beer creations were so popular with friends and family it made sense to start looking into commercializing and opening his own brewery. Now, with the help of partners Sabrina Chenel, Kevin Anderson, and Jordan Tetreault, the dream is moments away from becoming reality after nearly two years of planning, travelling, learning, and testing. “I just made a coffee cake stout beer,” Bell says over a beer at a local pub. As we talk someone who’s been lucky enough to try one of Bell’s beer says hello and enthusiastically

(L-R) Kevin Anderson, Robert Bell, Sabrina Chenel, and Jordan Tetreault describes his favorite Bell creation, the Milkshake IPA, a New England style IPA. “We are taking a little bit of risk here. We don’t play safe and make generic beer,” Bell says. “We are creating small, limited runs of different brews that will change the way you experience beer.” One Time Brew Co. will have 8–10 taps going in their taproom, but the amazing part is they will be producing different beers nearly every week. “Every time you come in there will be a new beer to try,” says Chenel, who will be managing the day-to-day operations. The taproom will also be serving local pizza from Fatty’s Pizza for when hunger strikes. And, if you desire some fresh, quality beer while you hang out at home you can pop in, pick your beer of choice, and within minutes you’ll be walking out with a “crowler” (a 32 oz aluminum can that keeps your beer fresh for much longer than growlers). Check out the latest updates from One Time Brew Co. as they get closer to opening by following them on Instagram at their handle @onetimebrewco.

The The Walleye Walleye 6161


CityScene

Stuff We Like

Recycled Joggers

Ungalli Clothing Co.

For The Non-Resolutionist By Rebekah Skochinski

I

t’s completely fine with us if you’re the sort of person who faces the new year loaded up on good intentions and plenty of resolve for a fresh start. However, there are some of us who don’t go for that kind of pressure during the longest and coldest month of the year. Break from the status quo and get in the know with Stuff We Like for the Non-Resolutionist.

Rapid Mac Cooker

Bacon

The Commissary Deli & Smoked Meats

618 Christie Street Many people resolve to eat more fruits and vegetables after non-stop gorging on chocolate and cheese, but guess what? Now is not the time. The ground is frozen. You know what’s good though? Cured meat. The Commissary’s bacon is cured and gently smoked over a birch wood fire. Free of additives and fillers and full of flavour, it’s excellent for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

1000 Fort William Road You could go for a little jiggity jog, or you could get these comfy recycled joggers from Ungalli and just look the part. Made of super-soft Canadian French terry knit, they have zip front pockets, a pull-on elastic waistband, and you can save 27 water bottles from the landfill without breaking a sweat.

$92/women’s $98/men’s

$Various

The Kitchen Nook

168 South Algoma Street Some folks might consider eating less takeout in the NY. What if we told that you can have your takeout and eat it too? This microwavable Rapid Mac Cooker will have you chowing down on a carb-load of mac and cheesy comfort in five minutes. Plus the cooker is BPA-free, has heat-resistant handles, and is dishwasher safe.

DVD Box Set Sunrise Records

1000 Fort William Road Books schmooks. Why should you read more when you can just watch TV? It’s basically like having someone read to you with voices and music—especially if you turn on the closed captioning. Cozy up with a DVD box set (or two) of your choosing and hammer down. Some of the best series ever made like Breaking Bad and The Wire only get better with a re-watch.

$15

$Various

Border Run Cream Ale

Dawson Trail Craft Brewery

EQ3 Arie Chair

Portobello Home

271 Bay Street Saving money for a rainy day? Breaking news: you’re in the wrong season. Besides, we know you’ve got a wad of Christmas cash burning a hole in your sweatpants. Yes, this gorgeous egg-shaped wingback chair is a splurge, but it’s also a great investment in your future joy. Made in Winnipeg, it’s available in a variety of combinations. We like this one with Coachella leather on the front and Lana fabric on the back, but you do you.

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$1,749

905 Copper Crescent With the furnace running 24/7 to keep us from freezing to death, we can’t imagine January getting any drier. So forget giving up booze and stay well hydrated with some Border Run Cream Ale from Dawson Trail Craft Brewery. Beer is 95% water! Available in stubbies, this brew is golden in colour with a flavour profile that is crisp, light, and malt forward.

$4.25 per bottle

Google Home The Power Centre

707 Memorial Avenue Think you need to get out and make new friends in 2019? Hold your horses. Time is a precious gift and none of us are getting any younger. Become your most efficient and bossy self with your new BFF, Google Home. Play some music, ask it a million questions—it will never tell you that you’re shouting. You’ve got the power and it all starts with two words: “Ok, Google…” Ok, go!

$179 (or less)


The Thunder Bay Blues Society would like to congratulate the winner of the HWY 61 TO MEMPHIS BLUES CHALLENGE

The Roosters

Calum Robertson, Mike Carson, Gary Hare, Mike Schan

And congratulations to the winner of TBBS Best Self Produced CD Category

Loose Cannon “Dangerous and Unpredictable” Producer Carol Pominville; Executive Producer Michael McFarlane

We wish both good luck in Memphis January 22-26, 2019 at the 35th International Blues Challenge!

Nurses & Personal Support Workers The Thunder Bay Blues Society will be hosting a

“Solo/Duo”

Category for their “Highway 61 to Memphis” Blues Challenge in 2019

Caring Careers Start Here Enjoy a future-focused career in healthcare as a Nurse or Personal Support Worker with St. Joseph’s Care Group. For more information, visit careers.sjcg.net

for more information on our Blues Challenge

For more career information on St. Joseph’s Care Group, visit www.sjcg.net

Nancy Member since 1987

Be a member. Not a number.

Everyone needs a financial institution they can trust. But what happens when the one you’re with seems more interested in their own interests than yours? Perhaps you’ve become just a number and another way to increase their profits. Sound like a problem? Well, that’s where Rapport Credit Union comes in. We invest the time to understand you and your goals. Then we work with you to come up with ideas and advice to improve your financial situation. So if it’s time to change to a credit union that truly wants to be a part of your life and a part of your future - then it’s time to talk.

It’s time to de-bank. Walleye_Rapport_Jan19_FINAL_Dec14.indd 1

Visit one of our local branches: Campus Hill 1072 Oliver Road, Unit 2 (807) 346 2810 James Street 405 James Street South (807) 626 5666 Kakabeka Falls 43 Clergue Street (807) 475 4276

rapportcu.ca

2018-12-14 8:3163 AM The Walleye


Hours of Operation:

Monday to Friday 9am-9pm Saturday 9am-7pm & Sunday 11am-5pm

& juice bar 820 Red River Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Make a fresh start in 2019 at Kelly’s!

(807) 345-1333

Out of Town: 1-800-461-5858

► Delivery available ► 10% student/senior

discount everyday

Drop by the largest health food store in town for quality products and great customer service!

Follow Us on Facebook for our weekly specials & bogos

Check out our website kellysnutritioncentre.com for monthly flyers and more!

64 The Walleye


CityScene

(L-R) Shawn Whitehurst and Gabby Hannusch

(L-R) Joanna Luczak and Nancy Rissanen

Inspiring, Encouraging, and Enriching Lives

Local Athletes Train for Special Olympic Ontario Provincial Games Story by Andrea Stach, Photos by Anna Buske

F

or the past 50 years, Special Olympics has been supporting the dreams of millions of athletes from around the world. At the local level, 17 determined young people have been training hard for the upcoming Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Games taking place in Sault Ste. Marie from January 31 to February 3. With hopes of qualifying to make the provincial team that will represent Ontario at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in 2020 (to be held right here in Thunder Bay), the athletes are readying themselves to compete in curling, alpine skiing, figure skating, snowshoeing, speed skating, and Nordic skiing. Head coach of the Northwestern Ontario snowshoe team is Nancy Rissanen, whose teenage son Tyler has been competing with the local group for the past three years. Coach Rissanen is excited about how the snowshoe races are set up, as they allow the athletes to race against

themselves in addition to their competitors, who are grouped by age, gender, and ability. The races range in distance from 100 m to 10 km, so there is something for every type of athlete. The Northwestern Ontario Snowshoe team will be sending a roster of seven competitors ranging in age from 15–55 years old. The team has been training hard since the beginning of October, and Rissanen is impressed with the amount of effort and determination they all bring to each practice. Rissanen says that the team loves to compete and “it’s a thrill for them” to be part of the games. As many of them have been involved in sport for years, belonging to the team has enabled them to make friendships with other athletes from across the country. On a personal note, Rissanen believes so strongly in what Special Olympics can do for its competitors, as she has seen first-hand how it has boosted her son’s self-confidence and his motivation to improve

while feeling successful in a way like nothing has before. And she has her own goals of being named to the Team Ontario coaching staff. Clearly, Special Olympics looks to inspire,

encourage and enrich the lives of everyone it touches. For more information on the Ontario Special Olympics, visit their website at ssm2019games.com.

(Top row L-R): Nancy Rissanen, Shawn Whitehurst, Mark Claypole, Corey Munshaw, Tyler Rissanen, and Norma Mighton (Bottom row L-R): Gabby Hannusch, Roberta Hannusch, and Joanna Luczak

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CityScene

Q&A

Five Questions with Ryan McMahon By Lindsay Campbell

S

ince it made its debut last October 22, 2018, the Canadaland podcast series, Thunder Bay, has received national attention for the stark spotlight it shines on the city. This month, The Walleye had the chance to speak with Ryan McMahon, creator, writer, and host of the project, to ask him about the five-part series. The Walleye: What’s the reaction been like from residents who have heard the podcast? Ryan McMahon: It’s been overwhelmingly positive. We were proud to have had the green light from so many journalists who had worked in Thunder Bay and who had worked on some of these stories before. One of the first things we did was let them know what our intention was, and you’ll hear many of their voices throughout the series. You’ll hear Jon Thompson, Willow Fiddler, and Tanya Talaga,

66 The Walleye

and we talked to many other journalists who wanted to remain off the record for a number of reasons. But we were very proud of the fact that people gave us the thumbs up in terms of having the chance to build off of their work. I think there’s a number of reasons for that, one being that it’s a podcast. The power of audio storytelling and the intimacy of the podcast genre allows the story to be told in new and different ways. When you can hear the pain of people and not just read it or glance at a headline or scroll past it on Facebook, but actually hit play on a podcast and listen, it brings a level of intimacy that I think is missing from other mediums. We were allowed to present a lot original reporting through this medium as well. I think there’s been some push back from people and there has been some response that we’ve only focused on the

negative and that there’s so much more to talk about in Thunder Bay. But, frankly it’s not the positive stuff that’s killing Indigenous youth in Thunder Bay. It’s the problems that we seek to shine a light on through the series that we need to talk about. News of the young Jacobs boy who was found in a park really brings out the fact that we did what we were motivated to do. We did what we had to do and if we had a do-over we would do the exact same thing over again. TW: What was the hardest part for you doing this series? What did you find the most challenging? RM: Easily the most challenging thing is having the voices of Indigenous youth stuck in my head. The voices, the stories, the experiences of young people who were just born into this country that hates them, and they have to experience that for no other reason

other than they’re Native. To know that they genuinely feel fear when they leave the house and that they genuinely believe that something bad could happen to them any given day because they’re in Thunder Bay is a constant source of sadness for me. I will repeat again, this is not an indictment on Thunder Bay, but it’s an indictment on some of the people in Thunder Bay. When I say that these kids feel fear, they’re not making it up. They don’t want to feel that. They don’t want to think about being killed in that city. They don’t want to be vulnerable. There’s a very, very poor system that ensures they feel that. It’s just a tough pill to swallow that we’re still in this place in 2018 where we are debating whether or not racism is real or whether the Indian Act or any other act for that matter is worthy of change or not. I’m really frustrated that we’re still having those debates. TW: You mentioned in the podcast that Thunder Bay operates under a broken system. Now that Keith Hobbs is out of the picture, what’s going to happen with a new mayor? RM: Well the first public statement that Bill Mauro made, to Steve Paikin, was doubling down on the idea that Thunder Bay just had “bad publicity.” We included that clip in the podcast, where Mauro says he’s going to fix the reputation of the city. Not fix the city, not fix the services, not find ways to bolster the organizations or services inside of the city, not work with the province or with NAN [Nishnawbe Aski Nation] or with the Friendship Centre to make the city safer, not do what the Thunder Bay Bear Clan [Patrol] is saying to do. Instead, he’s going to fix the reputation. So, no. He’s saying what Hobbs has already said for eight years, and to say that’s a disappointment from my perspective would be putting it lightly. I think that statement, should he stand by it in the future, lacks empathy, lacks leadership, and is cowardly. I want to be on the record for saying that. He’s a professional politician and people love this guy—I’m sure he knows his way in


and out of a political meeting, but maybe he doesn’t get the depth of the challenges. Or maybe he does and he’s just trying to put people at ease. But this is what I think is so fundamental: if someone on the inside said ‘yes, we need help,’ then I’d bet Thunder Bay would receive the help it needs. I think everyone knows what’s happening in this city, but someone just needs to say it. It’s going to take vulnerability, compassion, and empathy, and it’s going to take standing up to the base in Thunder Bay. I think the base in Thunder Bay thinks that things are fine and that employment and infrastructure and crime are the core problems, but I don’t know if the base in Thunder Bay believes that wholesale change is necessary. But I was hoping that Mayor Mauro would show a different type of leadership. TW: Throughout this podcast we hear from people who have been victims of racism in Thunder

Bay. Have you had criticism about the lack of sources from the police people or city council? RM: Yes, we have received that criticism and people should know that the mayor, city council, Thunder Bay Police [Service], NAN—none of them would talk to us. We wanted to give people the opportunity to clear the record. We told them what we were doing and we said we were going deep and it’s going to be felt. We finally got an email back from Mayor Hobbs the day before we were publishing our final episode, and it was basically him slapping threats of libel on us and that’s all we ever heard. Premier Kathleen Wynne, Jane Philpott, Carolyn Bennett—I could list people that didn’t want to talk to us. We fully intended to include all views, but at some point in your process, you do have to look at what you actually have and try to tell the story with that. That’s the truth.

TW: What do you hope to achieve from having people listen to this podcast? RM: I hope they understand how the city of Thunder Bay got to this point. It’s not even Thunder Bay’s fault. It’s not necessarily all of Mayor Hobb’s fault, it’s not city council’s fault. There’s a whole bunch of ways the city of Thunder Bay got to be the way it is. This is to not let anyone off the hook. There is a failed system— or, I would say a successful system that has ensured that Indigenous people rely on Canada. It’s either working exactly as it was designed or it’s broken. I believe it’s working—the system was never meant for Indigenous people to thrive. There’s a lot that needs to be done politically and I believe the answers are in front of it. The big issue is the paternalistic nature of the government. But then what will be necessary to get to the point of change? One of my goals was to

contribute to the re-education of Canadians about the failings of the government. The recreation of this country was a business deal. Part of the deal was that this country would provide the same education for Indigenous people as non-Indigenous people. This country has failed to do that and we wanted to make a podcast that shows what that looks like and what it means. Looking at why Thunder Bay is the way it is and the failure of the system were the explicit goals. This story could have taken place in a lot of other different cities, but we landed on Thunder Bay cause that’s where I’m from. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

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Group Bookings & Student Discounts

Ski and Ice Climbing Packages

Join Us for an EVENING of JAZZ

featuring

The Summertime JAM Project

Dinner & Show: Saturday, January 26 Tickets $6000 pp

28 Cumberland Street N (807) 345-0597

thesilverbirchrestaurant.com

68 The Walleye


Music

(L-R) Frankie Grant and Spencer Bridle

Waves Hit Thunder Bay this Month DJ, Producing Duo Bring High-Energy Show to NV NightClub By Kris Ketonen

F

rankie Grant and Spencer Bridle, who make up the DJ and producing duo Waves, promise to bring an abundance of energy to the NV NightClub stage when they perform in Thunder Bay later this month. “We’re young artists, and our crowd is usually young,” Bridle says. “We know what the crowd wants to hear, because we are the same age, we listen to the same music. We have a lot of Top 40 hits that you will definitely recognize, with dance music remixes and stuff that you

haven’t heard before. Eighty percent of our set is all original mashups and stuff we’ve made.” Bridle and Grant have known each other for many years, stretching back to their high school days. “We definitely knew each other,” Grant says. “I wouldn’t say we were close friends; we didn’t even hang out that much.” However, both were into music, with a specific interest in DJing and producing. They ended up DJing at the same events in their hometown of Toronto a few times, both as solo artists.

It was during those shows that their friendship started to grow, and Bridle and Grant decided to head into the studio and collaborate on a song. It’s safe to say neither regrets the decision. “We both shared the same interests and had the same drive to actually kind of try to make it,” Grant says. “We just made that decision one day to become a duo, because it just kind of made sense… it definitely has worked out so far.” It was a good move, Bridle says, as each has their own skills, which complement the partnership.

“Frankie’s more the brains, I’m more the mechanic,” Bridle says. “I’ll be more the producer in the studio, being like ‘Frankie, does this sound good? Is this what we’re looking for? Is this the right direction that fits our brand?... Frankie’s more the director, where I’m actually the guy putting it to work on the computer.” Waves plays NV NightClub in Thunder Bay on January 11. For more information, visit wavesofficial.ca.

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Music

(L-R) Shawn Hall and Matthew Rogers

The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer Serving Up Something Special

Story by Kris Ketonen, Photo Jodie Ponto

V

ancouver-based blues rockers the Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer have something special in mind for the new year. The duo, made up of Shawn Hall and Matthew Rogers, will be putting together a live album. But not just any live album. “We’re massive fans of the era… when bands would do two, three, four, five-night runs, and they would record them,” Hall says. So, in February, he and Rogers will be doing something similar, hitting the stage at the National Music Centre in Calgary for a three-show run, which will be recorded. “It’s going to be amazing,” Hall

70 The Walleye

says. “I think it’s a lost art. I don’t know what the hell has happened in the landscape, but it doesn’t appear that people are making awesome, really juicy live records anymore, and I don’t know why.” Fans won’t have to wait that long for the next Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer album, however: the duo will soon release a remix of their 2017 album Apocalipstick, which is titled, of course, Post-Apocalipstick. “We went into the studio and tore apart songs from the record, and completely re-imagined them,” Hall says. “We did stuff collaboratively, and separately.” Apocalipstick was the

Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer’s fifth release in the 12 years since the band officially formed. Hall and Rogers had been working together before that, however; in fact, their relationship stretches back to the early 2000s, when they met after Hall finished recording school. “I thought, ‘I’m going to be a producer, I’m going to be an artist, I’m going to be an engineer,’” Hall says. “My bread and butter is going to come from doing commercials, and jingles.” The first thing Hall did was a jingle for a local business. He needed a guitarist, and that was Rogers. “That was the beginning of us working

together,” Hall says. “No matter what was said at any occasion, he was always there, and he was thorough and just not flaky. That’s incredibly admirable. It’s great to jive late at night with characters, but it’s an entirely different thing the next day, and the days and the weeks and the months following, whether you can actually put your money where your mouth is. And Matt could.” The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer play at the Port Arthur Polish Hall on January 19. For more, visit harpoonistaxemurderer.com.


TUMBLESTONE & FRIENDS

present a fundraising music event and art auction for

CAMDEN “BLUES” TIURA

Award-winning guitarist, song writer and blogger, Camden Tiura has been a strength on the Thunder Bay music scene for many years. One of the city's more innovative and adventurous guitarists, he finds the common wavelengths in such seemingly disparate genres as blues, rock, jazz and punk. Always interesting and entertaining, Camden consistently gives every show his all. In 2016, he admirably represented

the city at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. “It's definitely a bit of a challenge,” says Camden on the travails of the independent musician. “But, music is music man, it's all worth it!” Article by Ken Wright

SATURDAY, JANUARY 12TH The Foundry, Black Pirates Pub & Crocs at NV Nightclub Entry by donation.

One donation gains entrance to all three venues. Art auction items viewable on Tumblestone Facebook and on location at shows.

Follow Tumblestone Facebook for more details.

The Walleye

71


Music

BURNING TO THE SKY

Lindsey Buckingham Goes His Own Ways

By Gord Ellis

L

ast April, when word got out that Lindsey Buckingham had been fired from Fleetwood Mac, it caused a bit more news than most music stories do. For starters, the inner workings and romantic turmoil between FM’s band members—most specifically Stevie Nicks and Buckingham—lead to some of the band’s most powerful music. Consider both “Go your Own Way” and “Silver Springs” as prime examples. Yet it was also widely known that Buckingham, although not the main star of the band, was largely responsible for the silky sound that Fleetwood Mac made post1974 both in studio and on stage. His brilliant guitar work, arranging skills, and knack for hooks made those late 70s and early 80s Fleetwood Mac albums a hotbed of earworms. There was also

72 The Walleye

something incredibly pleasing about the sound of his tenor sandwiched between Nicks’ lower register and Christine McVie’s angelic high range. Losing this key player, someone so instrumental to the band’s classic sound, was no small thing. Yet Buckingham has more in his CV than just being a member of one of the most popular bands in history. He also has had quite an interesting and successful solo career. The first recording Lindsey Buckingham ever appeared on was a record called Buckingham Nicks, released in 1974. And yes, it was Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, his then-girlfriend and musical partner. The album did nothing in sales at the time and has been out of print for decades. However, listening to it now (it’s readily available on YouTube), you clearly hear the hallmarks of the Lindsey Buckingham

sound and arranging skills. This was also the album that Mick Fleetwood heard in a studio after Fleetwood Mac’s guitarist Bob Welch had quit. The rest is history. Several of the songs on this album would later be poached by Fleetwood Mac after Nicks and Buckingham joined, including “Crystal”—a hauntingly beautiful Buckingham song that had a finger-picked guitar sound that would soon become familiar to the world. A rocker called “Don’t Let Me Down Again” became a live staple for Fleetwood Mac and is featured on their 1980 live album. While the Buckingham Nicks album was the earliest sign of Buckingham’s diverse skills, his first true solo album was 1981’s Law and Order. Unlike much of his work with Fleetwood Mac—the notable exception being parts of Tusk—Law and Order was quirky, experimental, and

sounded a lot like demos. Which is exactly what Buckingham wanted it to sound like. Vocals and guitar licks were compressed, slowed down, and sped up. There was extensive use of drum loops and other studio concoctions. The thing was just a whole lot of fun. It also spawned a top ten hit with “Trouble,” a light, breezy pop confection with about 10 different hooks. Law and Order was the first of what would be a half dozen solo albums spread over 30 years, with several released in just the past decade. Buckingham has also toured as a solo artist several times, the first time in support of his album Out of the Cradle in 1992. On that tour, Buckingham enlisted several guitarists who were largely unknowns to re-create his complex guitar parts in studio. It was a nod to just how much importance he put on arranging. In more recent years, he has also done non-Fleetwood Mac tours where some, or all, the performances are just him and a guitar. Buckingham has a unique and powerful finger-picking style that is incredibly hard to emulate. His solo guitar performance of his song “Big Love” was a regular highlight of many Fleetwood Mac tours. Yet Buckingham may be one of the most underrated rock guitarists in history. His solos and licks were always a key part of most of the Fleetwood Mac songs, and he can wind out with style and grace. His solos on “So Afraid” from 1997’s live album The Dance are long, menacing, and build to a true crescendo, spurred on by the mighty rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. It is moments like this that will be missing in the latest Buckingham-free incarnation of Fleetwood Mac. It is difficult to replace that kind of alchemy. An anthology called Solo Anthology: The Best of Lindsey Buckingham was released last October and provides an impressive overview of the artist’s work. If you know Buckingham only from Fleetwood Mac but like his songs, you owe it to yourself to delve into his other work. His has been an incredible musical journey.


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A Nod to Jim Differ

Music

The Musician’s Musician By Tiffany Jarva

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hose who knew drummer Jim Differ knew that he had a vibrant curiosity for life, seemingly boundless energy, and a positive willingness to help out whenever and whomever he could. As fellow musician and longtime friend Danny Johnson stated during a musical tribute he organized in December: “Jim would help you out without reservation. His passing will have a huge impact on the city, leaving a hole that is a mile-wide—not just in the music community, but the entire community.” Differ’s generosity combined with his love of life and music contributed to him being one of those special human beings who you feel lucky to have known, whether he was a fellow musician, a work colleague, friend, family member or simply helped you out a few times a year as the service manager at Marostica Subaru (he was my car-guy for about 15 years and always went above and beyond). Differ was an early fan of The Walleye and would enthusiastically talk not just about music, but the overall growing arts and culture scene in the city. He would often pitch stories about other artists before ever promoting himself. “He definitely left us too early,” says producer and friend Rob Nickerson. “But if there’s anyone who could pack a lot into life, it was Jim.” Differ was a self-taught musician, starting to play the drums when he was ten. At age 17, he began playing professionally in his hometown of Toronto. He moved to Thunder Bay about 20 years ago and was well known for playing with a variety of bands throughout the years, including 21 Gun Fun, The Chain, The Danny Johnson Trio, Sharp 9, The Matt Sellick Trio, Ti Amo, The Knackers, Rodney Brown, Mood Indigo, and of course, Flamenco Caravan, along with his talented singer-songwriter wife Susanna Di Giuseppe. Nickerson adds, “He was the most versatile. He could play anything:

jazz, rock, country. He was a student of music—always learning, always trying to do more.” Differ was known for always bringing something new to a session, including intriguing handheld percussion instruments. “He brought in instruments I had never heard of before,” laughs Nickerson. On his lunch breaks, Nickerson says Differ would often go home and practice his drums, striving to be better. In 2005, Differ and his brother John, along with Nickerson, received a Juno nomination for their work on one of John’s children’s albums. At the tribute, a talented roster of local musicians, including Differ’s children Lauren and Mat, performed to a full house at Lakehead University’s Outpost. They played some of Differ’s favourite music— an eclectic mix that ranged from Van Morrison’s otherworldly “Astral Weeks” to Miles Davis’ “Seven Steps to Heaven.” It was especially moving when Pierre Schryer started playing his fiddle via a video with Lauren and Mat, with Differ’s niece Olivia Korkola taking over on the live stage. “We ended the night with over 40 musicians on stage singing Bob Dylan’s ‘Forever Young,’” says Johnson. “The first concert that Jim attended was Dylan and the Band at Maple Leaf Gardens on the ‘Before the Flood’ tour, and that’s the song they closed with. This concert really inspired him to become a musician and take it seriously.” There were moments when it felt like Differ was there, thanks to videos featuring him playing his impressive and mesmerizing drum solos edited together from different concerts. The music lasted more than two hours, with too many performers to name. As Johnson alluded to at the beginning of the night, it would be an impossible task to capture all that was Jim Differ, but it certainly was a beautiful start. Jim Differ’s legacy will continue to live on through a charitable fund to benefit young musicians being set up in his name by his family.

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Music

cello. But his parents had bought a clarinet for Shackleton’s older brother, who had given up on it after about six months. “The clarinet just kind of ended up underneath his bed,” Shackleton says. His parents were reluctant to buy a new cello, and told Shackleton to start with the clarinet. If he stuck with it, they’d talk about switching

to something else. “When I first started, I didn’t really like it,” he says. “I did it because I felt I kind of had to do this.” His opinion of the clarinet quickly changed, however, and Shackleton doesn’t regret his decision to keep studying it. “The clarinet really does feel like an extension of my voice,” he says. “As an instrument, it feels like it fits.”

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TBSO spotlight

Peter Shackleton Principal Clarinet By Kris Ketonen Born: Ottawa Instrument: Clarinet Age you started to study music: Recorder at 8, clarinet at 11 How long have you been with TBSO: 31 seasons What’s on personal playlist: “Bulbous Bouffant” by the Vestibules, Bernard Herrmann, Nino Rota

B

alancing professional obligations can be tricky for Peter Shackleton. Shackleton is currently in his 31st year with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, where he’s principal clarinet. But during the university year—which is also, of course, when the TBSO season is running—he also spends a day or two each week teaching music at Wilfrid Laurier University. “It’s a little crazy at times,”

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Shackleton says with a chuckle. “I think it’s at the point now I’ve been doing it for so long, I don’t think about it that much.” In any case, teaching is important to Shackleton. “There’s so much oral history, in a sense,” he says. “The teachers that I’ve had, and what they’ve imparted to me—I feel at some level it’s our duty to continue keeping that information going. We all, in a sense, become a bit of an amalgamation of the various teachers that we’ve had. And in a lot of cases, what happens in private lessons is not written down in books, or recorded anywhere. It’s to keep the tradition going, is a big part of it.” As for the clarinet, Shackleton admits the instrument wasn’t his first choice. Rather, he wanted to play the

“They were ready to listen. I finally feel heard.”


Music

Career & Job Fair Wednesday, January 31st 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Confederation College, Shuniah Building

Over 60 employers ready to hire people like you will be on campus at our Career & Job Fair later this month. Discover how you can set yourself apart from the competition.

For more information visit: www.confederationcollege.ca/career-job-fair

Corey Gagné

Not the King TBay’s Most Modest Artist

Story by Noel Jones, Photo by @zeustate

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hunder Bay’s own Corey Gagné, aka Not The King, is an artist you’re going to want to keep an ear out for. He has a smooth, chill vibe to his music that is easy to listen to. Not The King combines hip-hop and electro dance music to create a fusion he calls “chill-hop,” which he describes as “old music with today’s flavour.” Gagné says he didn’t always have a passion for beat-making, but it came about as a result of appreciation for one of his early influences. He says, “Around 15 [or] 16 is when I got interested, but I didn’t really start until I was 17. From there I was listening to Deadmaus. I was always really fascinated with what he did. I’d think, ‘huh I can do something like that.’” He explains how, when he first started 6 or 7 years ago, he was producing EDM tracks, but eventually developed his own style. He adds, “It wasn’t until 2016 when I got more into the hip-hop/chill-hop feel-good type of music, and that’s when my

music started picking up.” He cites FKJ, Gramatik, and Bonobo as his main influences since the switch. The story behind his stage name is also very interesting. “I spent a long time looking for a name. You know like how everyone in rap music is like, ‘I’m the best, I’m the king,’ and I’m just me in my bedroom. I’ll go with Not The King. I thought it was funny.” So it is a name that came out of his acceptance of his humble beginnings. That kind of thinking sets him apart from a lot of artists, but it seems to be working, as he now has nearly 30,000 followers on SoundCloud and over 25,000 listeners on Spotify. He hopes that his following will continue to grow, to where he can earn a living making his music and producing for major artists from all over. For now, you can check out his EP, Vol.1, available on Spotify. He also plans to start production on a second EP in the upcoming year.

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Music

Celebrating Friendship with The Snowman

TBSO Family Concert Features Music from Well-Known Scores By Kris Ketonen

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his month’s Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra family concert offers something for everyone. The Snowman: A Celebration of Friendship will take place on January 27, and feature some well-known scores from the films Toy Story 2, The Snowman, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. TBSO conductor-in-residence Mélissa Biroun says part of the goal of the concert—as with each performance in the symphony’s popular family concert series—is giving younger listeners an introduction to the TBSO and classical music. “Art is important in kids, but also in adults,” Biroun says. “Whether it’s music or drawing or theatre or dance, it’s a very essential thing in society and in children’s growth.” “For them to…have their first experience connected to music that they might already know, or discover music that they might not know—for them, that’s part of their culture, part of their growing.” And while many are familiar with films like Toy Story 2 and its soundtrack, hearing the music

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live is a whole different experience, Biroun says. “It is definitely very moving,” she says. “It’s very interesting to see how children can recognize something that they’ve seen on TV.” However, Biroun says, The Snowman will have something to offer parents, too: the music will definitely bring back memories, and might also introduce them to pieces of music they may not have heard before. But on a grander scale, Biroun says, The Snowman: A Celebration of Friendship will bring people together. “That’s why we call it family—it’s parents and children, and an opportunity to give to the community is really the main focus of a family concert,” she says. “I always like more popular repertoire, because it joins more people…family, for me, is to bring together, and also for me to go back into my memories.” The Snowman: A Celebration of Friendship, sponsored by The Walleye, runs on January 27 at Grassroots Church on Balmoral Street.

MARCH 2 2019

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Music

Complex and Demanding

Dizzy Mystics and Alien ThoughtForm Incursions Review by Peter Jabs, Photos by Keegan Richard

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he subculture of progressive rock consistently foments new bands that burble up through the pavement cracks now and then. I would encourage anyone to experience this complex and demanding art form. It is not just for young ears, as the sound level was tolerable without earplugs. Local openers Visual Past had fast and furious molten rock pounding through their veins and pouring out their amps. Of interest were the six-string bass guitar and an audience- wowing Hendrix trick: a guitarist picking strings with his teeth. He also had great hair. Our own Dweezils painted a zombie apocalypse landscape heavy on

the kick drum thunder. My highlight of the evening was their free-flowing jam, stumbling upon a time-stopping standing wave of captured feedback and channelling an incursion of alien thought forms from far out. As ever, you had to be there. Headliners Dizzy Mystics played clean, polished, and precise numbers that neatly segued from movement to movement as in a symphonic piece Ă la prog rock pioneers. Years of practice have paid off for these gentlemen from Winnipeg. Playing as one, they were making musical statements and creating drama right from beat one until past closing time, when the bar staff were stacking chairs.

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Music

TBShows.com Presents ON THE SCENE

Hail the Cover Show King By Jimmy Wiggins

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ver the last few years, Thunder Bay’s Waterfront District has seen a massive boom of redevelopment. A number of new venues, restaurants, and boutiques have opened up and have really revitalized the previously fading area with new options for entertainment. With this surge of growth to the area comes a whole new scene for people to flock to. One name that stands out in this new scene for many is Kevin Cernjul (aka Chris Barstow). Cernjul started playing guitar at a young age and hasn’t put it down since. “I always wanted to play guitar for as long as I can remember,” he says. “Even as a little kid I remember circling the Stratocaster copies in the Sears Wish Book, hoping I would get one.” Influenced by elementary school teachers, family friends, and rock idols, Cernjul has taken what they’ve taught him and amped it up for both the stage and

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the writing process. Cernjul went to his first local show at the age of 14, and after experiencing that kind of interaction he was instantly hooked. He started going to all-ages shows at The Apollo whenever possible to meet other musicians and form friendships. To date, he has been a part of nearly 20 bands including Beautiful Wasteland, Jordana & The Bastard Hammers (with yours truly on drums), and Jagstog, just to name a few. When the time came each year for the Cover Show, Cernjul was ready to shine. “The Cover Show is an opportunity to perform as some of the bands that I listened to while I was learning to play guitar,” explains Cernjul. “It’s a chance to do costumes, stage shows, and for a brief period I get to feel like that musician.” He has been a part of some of the most epic and legendary performances in the show’s history. With

each show Cernjul not only covers the band’s music but he takes in the details of their looks and the essence of their performances. Whether he’s covering metal bands like Rob Zombie, Rammstein, Slayer, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Dethklok, and Steel Panther or lighter acts like Michael Jackson, LMFAO, Dropkick Murphys, Kid Rock, Prozzak, or Sheryl Crow, there is always a high level of theatrics and showmanship with his performance. It’s because of this kind of work ethic that Cernjul is known as the Cover Show King—not only a musician but also a true entertainer. Cernjul’s stage name, Chris Barstow, comes from a combination of an inside joke and a 1998 cult classic. “Chris from Chris Hamilton (a fellow musician who also used to work as a bouncer at The Apollo when I was younger) because we joked when I was a teenager that he looks like an older version of

myself,” explains Cernjul. “Barstow is the city mentioned at the start of Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas.” After being part of the TBay music scene of nearly 18 years, Cernjul and his bands have shared stages with the likes of High On Fire, In This Moment, Stiff Little Fingers, and the original vocalist for heavy metal band Iron Maiden, Paul Di’anno. He’s recorded and released two albums with Jagstog and two with his current band, The Bay Street Bastards, with a third release in the works and plans for a summer tour on the way. Recently he was lucky enough to get on stage with Danish Europop band Aqua at a show in Winnipeg. When he’s not on stage as a guitarist or frontman, he’s hosting weekly trivia nights at The Foundry or continuing his 13year long career as a wedding DJ at night. During the day, Cernjul works as a family services director through Sunset Memorial.


Music

A Strange Brew

Phoebe the Feeb Release The Pink Album Story by Justin Allec, Photo by Scott Hobbs

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n the three years that Phoebe the Feeb have been playing, they’ve already met many of their original goals as a band. Write juicy, eclectic rock tunes fit for a sweaty dance floor or a cozy Sunday couch session? Sure, just look to their 2017’s EP The Fire That Burns Against the Cold. Play local stages aplenty? Yup, from one end of the city to the other. How about expand their sound with a full orchestra? Also done, when the band joined TBSO’s Brews and Beethoven fundraiser in 2017 and got to play along to some symphonic bombast. How about releasing an album and helping out a cause at the same time? That’s next on their list. Phoebe the Feeb’s new EP, The Pink Album, is six songs of grooving melodies as smooth as a stone from Lake Superior—except when it isn’t, like when guitarist Nathon Bortolon has a six-string meltdown or hits one of those tear-jerking high notes recounting love gone wrong. The Pink Album works because of the three-piece’s confidence in their songs. “Cry me a River” is a great example, as the song breezes through a devastating relationship. A funked-up bassline from Will

Trembley supports a deceptively simple guitar rhythm that squeezes you tighter and tighter, while Aaron Gee’s drums effortlessly hold court and give Bortolon space to make an old phrase sound like either a prayer or a threat. “We wanted this to be our old man band, a band that we carry with us in to old age,” Gee says, so the focus is about having fun. With this approach, the band decided to do something different with the finished product. When Phoebe the Feeb plays their release show for The Pink Album at Black Pirates Pub on January 5, all proceeds will be donated to Kitty Care Feline Rescue and The Faye Peterson house. Describing the event as a “winter carnival,” Gee says the band wants the show to be “a fun, weird party” with Zack Bright and A New Machine opening, as well as stand-up comedy and even a magician performing. It’s a full lineup to celebrate something that will keep supporting vulnerable sectors of the community long after the band’s packed it in for the night. Phoebe the Feeb will grow old, and the good The Pink Album does will be a part of their legacy.

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OfftheWall

REVIEWS

The Prophet Speaks

Red Marks

Femur

Van Morrison

Well, this is a tasty treat. Nine songs from this indomitable local trio that mangle all your harsh metal subgenres—grind, noise, sludge, hardcore, post-metal—into a delightfully acerbic taffy. Live staples like “Knife Fight in the Basement” and “Welcome Wind” that have been destroying years’ worth of $5 shows are finally displayed in all their pisscore glory. There are aural beatdowns aplenty, sure, but most bands with volume can manage to pummel your eardrums. Femur’s taken all their experience and written songs that go places. Take “Locus of Control” for example. The whole song dramatically shifts mood and tempo throughout its four minutes, as Femur waltz along before laying in a sucker-punch. Seriously, this three-piece have put so much time into making these monstrous songs sprint that they might as well have bunk beds on the corner of Black Pirates Pub’s stage. Do yourself a favour and go throw these guys some dollars on Bandcamp; I guarantee you’ll be blasting Red Marks long after the snow’s melted.

Let me set the scene. It’s 1969 and you’re in a smoky blues bar on Chicago’s south side just after midnight. The stage is full of instruments. A piano, hammond organ, drums, guitars, and full set of horns. Out walks Van Morrison and his deadly backup band. That’s the feeling I got listening to his latest album The Prophet Speaks. It’s a heartfelt tribute to some of rhythm and blues’ greatest musicians. Morrison covers some of the classics by John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke, Solomon Burke, and others. He also includes six of his own songs. This is a great album for fans of Van Morrison’s unique combination of jazz and blues. The production is crisp and clear with Van’s vocals on top. He steps back from the mic at times giving his band a chance to shine with some great solo performances on the sax, hammond organ, and guitar. Favourite songs include wonderful covers of John Lee Hooker’s “Dimples” and Sam Cooke’s “Laughing and Clowning.” Both are rhythm and blues gems.

- Justin Allec

- Gerald Graham

Remind Me Tomorrow

Sharon Van Etten Sharon Van Etten made several good decisions while constructing her latest album, Remind Me Tomorrow. For those familiar with Van Etten’s past works, there is still the raw, visceral emotion that you are likely used to, but the soundscape has shifted somewhat due to some outside production collaboration and an almost total depart from the guitar. While still quite distinct this album easily fits Van Etten into a pack of my favourites surrounded by PJ Harvey, St. Vincent, and Florence and the Machine. I am very excited to find that instead of attempting to add an edge to otherwise stale music, the electronic slant of the album really adds new dimension to already well-written pieces. The lead-out single, “Comeback Kid,” joins my other favourites on the album, “Memorial Day” and “You Shadow,” but I found the follow-up single, “Jupiter 4,” to be the weakest of the remaining tracks (although still palatable). No matter what your tastes may be; if this album pops up in your recommendations do NOT pass it by and click Remind Me Tomorrow!

Voices

Zack Bright Zack Bright’s new album, Voices, is a tough one to pin down. The songs that make up the album’s eight tracks certainly don’t have a lot in common when it comes to style. Rather, they’re spread among several genres: one track will be pop, the next country, followed by rock, and then pop-punk. The songs were all built on demos Bright put together over the years, which, in turn, draw on his own musical preferences. As Bright writes in the liner notes, “I love what I love.” Bright notes that, when it comes to sound, Voices doesn’t really have a theme. That, however, isn’t a knock. Rather, it should be something of a badge of pride for Bright. The songs, after all, may span several genres, but Bright certainly shows his capabilities in each, both in terms of musicianship and songwriting. Voices is a polished package of very catchy tunes, and is well worth a listen. - Kris Ketonen

- Jamie Varga

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Where the Poppies Grow

Ron Harpelle and Kelly Saxberg With a combination of archival footage and dramatic reenactments, Where the Poppies Grow tells the story of the First World War from the perspective of people who lived in the Lakehead during the time. The docu-drama follows Alfred Saxberg (the older version played by Duncan Weller and the younger played by Adrien Harpelle), a first-generation Finnish-Canadian who enlists at the beginning of the war. The narrative is mainly comprised of letters between Alfred and his sister Sadie (Bailey Giroux) describing his experiences during the war. The film features a treasure trove of archival footage and photographs from the period, and the narrative is humanized with reenactments. But during some moments Where the Poppies Grow has a difficult time finding a balance between documentary and drama, lingering in one genre or the other. Overall, the film manages to convey a lot of information in its short run time and is a testament to the city’s contributions and sacrifices during the war. - Adrian Lysenko

Thunder Bay

Ryan McMahon and Jesse Brown

“This….is Thunder Bay” says host Ryan McMahon over a chilling score that sets the stage to detail some of the darkest sides of Thunder Bay. McMahon, in collaboration with producer/writer Jesse Brown, has created a Canadaland podcast that has the whole country talking. Accounts of systemic racism, death, crime, and general immorality have many questioning the attributes of this small northern city that many listeners call home. The five episodes presented in the first season of the podcast are raw, real, and scary. But McMahon is a seasoned podcast host, and while the content is disturbing, his approach is smart and thoughtprovoking. “What if Thunder Bay isn’t broken; what if it is working just as it’s supposed to?” he asks in the final episode. Given the tone of the podcast—which, to be fair only examines the worst parts of Thunder Bay—we can only hope this is not the case, but he does make a compelling argument. - Emmerson Poll

Beirut Hellfire Society Rawi Hage

Taking place in the midst of the Lebanese civil war in the late 70s, Beirut Hellfire Society tells the story of Pavlov, the son of an undertaker. After the sudden passing of his father, Pavlov agrees to continue his life’s work helping an underground organization perform last rites for those denied proper burials because of their lifestyle, sexuality, or religion. The story explores how people try to carry on in spite of the carnage unfolding around them. With this book, the reader experiences a muted emotional response to the war because of vague, light description coupled with stolid observations from our protagonist. This contrasts against the depth of feeling given to Pavlov’s personal conflicts. Together, a sense of numbness comes across, expressing how war and destruction feel unreal until you’re hit with something that connects everything to you or those you love. The triumph of this book is that Hage so effectively puts readers into this mindset. - Alexander Kosoris

Baby Teeth

Zoje Stage

Suzette, the primary narrator of Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth, is struggling, overwhelmed, and somewhat quick to lose her temper, but she isn’t the villain of this story. That role is filled by her daughter Hanna, the secondary narrator, a mute seven-year-old who seems bright and charming to her father and everyone else she meets—except Suzette. During long, isolated hours spent together homeschooling, Hanna continually demonstrates callous, cruel, and sadistic behaviour calculated to unnerve and eventually physically harm her mother. Unfortunately, when Suzette tries to describe Hanna’s behaviour to her doting father, he just can’t believe that his darling girl would act that way. Can Suzette convince anyone of Hanna’s true nature? Or will she be condemned as hysterical and irrational in the face of Hanna’s manipulative sweetness and mounting violence? This suspenseful book may be particularly unnerving to any parents who have idly wondered if their child was deliberately trying to drive them nuts. - Laura Prinselaar

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Architecture

Royston Court Lofts

Story by Bonnie Schiedel, Photos by Adrian Lysenko

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hat do you do with an unused government building with incredible views of the city and the waterfront? You turn it into eight modern lofts, of course. Red River Holdings Ltd., landlords of the former Province of Ontario Land Titles and Registry Office building on Royston Court in Port Arthur, saw an opportunity to create some downtown-cool spaces. The initial renovation plans for the 1955 building were created by Ahsanul Habib of Habib Architects, but i4architecture (i4a) took over the project during the construction phase when Habib could not continue due to health issues. “Our vision was to create large, expansive modern lofts with open spaces,” says Peter Buffone, director of finance at Red River Holdings. “We wanted tenants to fully enjoy the views of the Sleeping Giant, natural light, and modern kitchens. The building is so solidly built that each tenant will enjoy their privacy

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Architecture without hearing neighbours and outside noise.” The units range in size from 830 to 1277 square feet, and the building is barrier-free accessible by use of the existing elevator. In keeping with the loft aesthetic, the steel beams, conduits, and pipes in the ceiling are exposed and painted white. The oversized window openings were retained, but were replaced by updated energy-efficient windows. Several of the units have a mezzanine overlooking the main living area. The original terrazzo floor remains in the entrance, as does the original exterior of clay masonry and brick, now coated with dark paint. At the exterior entrance, the original carving and Ontario coat of arms are still in place, and i4a is currently working on a canopy to protect the entrance but still preserve the welcoming atmosphere and the nod to the past, says Andy Puiatti, associate architect at i4a. One big new element is the contemporary steel and glass balconies that now are part of six of the units, overseen by senior structural engineer Geoff Sissons of GS Structural Engineering. “My favourite part of the building is the view,” says Puiatti. “What could be better than waking up to the Sleeping Giant every morning?”

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Health

(L-R) Kelly-Jo Gillis, Sarah Hyett, Vanessa Masters, Steve Coghill, Julia Bailey, Katherine Mayer, and Sara Chow

Hospital’s Staff Health and Wellness Calendar Promoting So(cial) Good By Katherine Mayer, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

A

bout 2,900 people work at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Job roles are varied, and outside of the workplace, this diversity still stands true. Hospital staff are involved in sports, art, music, culture, and community. With the hospital’s vision of “healthy together,” the Staff Health and Wellness Calendar is a great tool that aligns with the vision. For the past seven years, the hospital’s Staff Health and Wellness Calendar has featured over 350 staff members from all areas and disciplines of the hospital. While this might sound like a typical 12-month calendar, this award-winning initiative has become an inclusive, empowering, and popular project with staff at our hospital. Sara Chow, health promotion and communications planner in Prevention and Screening Services at the hospital, explains how the calendar came to be. “Our hospital always had a corporate calendar, but in 2012 there was an opportunity to transform it. We decided that since the calendar is widely distributed within the hospital, including

86 The Walleye

volunteers and community partners, it could serve as a year-round health promotion tool with 365 days worth of healthy messaging and showcasing our staff.” The calendar is unique because it celebrates different ways of being healthy. From ultra marathon runners to avid gardeners, painters and bakers, the calendar showcases all areas of wellness, promoting inclusivity. Sara Cicchitano, executive coordinator with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, volunteered to be featured in the 2019 Calendar after seeing her coworkers participate. “The annual Staff Health and Wellness Calendar has been a huge inspiration for me,” explains Cicchitano. “Without it, I would have not known about all the interesting things my coworkers were involved with outside of the workplace. Learning about their interests and hobbies has strengthened our working relationship and has given me the confidence to share more of my story. Of course the healthy recipes offered in each month are a great tool to use as well!”

The calendar’s success can also be attributed to the award-winning creative concept. Thanks to Steve Coghill, senior graphic designer in the hospital’s Communications and Engagement department, the 2018 Staff Health and Wellness Calendar won a national award from the Association of Registered Graphic Designers, called a So(cial) Design Award. “The calendar has become one of my favourite projects to work on,” says Coghill. “It provides a great opportunity to be creative while visually representing the importance of positive and healthy lifestyles. It’s something I’m proud to be a part of.” Research shows that healthy staff can contribute to enhanced patient care and healthy organizational culture. Through the leadership of Prevention and Screening Services, and with the help from the Hospital’s Wellness Committee, the calendar promotes the concept that a healthy lifestyle is founded on multiple areas of wellness and serves as a positive example. More importantly, the calendar is helping to build a healthy culture that staff want to participate in—it’s so(cial) good!

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The Walleye

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88 The Walleye


Green

The BEAN Project Building Stronger Neighbourhoods

By Aynsley Klassen, Program Coordinator, EcoSuperior

D

o you recall the days when Block Parent signs rested in living room windows, neighbours called out greetings on a first-name basis, and packs of kids roamed the street while their parents traded skills and labour? In 2019, EcoSuperior will start out the new year with an old-fashioned idea: bringing neighbours back together. Supported by a oneyear Ontario Trillium seed grant, EcoSuperior’s BEAN Project (Building Eco-Active Neighbourhoods) is about neighbours working together to respond to climate change. BEAN recognizes that human-caused climate change is an urgent matter requiring real solutions and that building stronger, more resilient neighbourhoods is a priority. What does a climate-resilient neighbourhood look like? It starts with the people—champions of the cause who are willing to initiate conversations with neighbours who might be ready to add their voice to the discussion and participate in a planning team. Once a neighbourhood BEAN Team is formed, EcoSuperior will work together with the group to identify neighbourhood strengths and opportunities related to climate change, to determine areas of concern, and to select priority actions.

The story of the BEAN project will read differently in each neighbourhood, though the thread of climate resilience—strength in the face of climate change—will bind each neighbourhood together. Priority actions will relate to themes of stormwater management, biodiversity, waste minimization, or active transportation, depending on the unique needs and interests identified by each BEAN Team. For instance, if flooding is identified as a neighbourhood concern, the BEAN Team may wish to install a series of residential rain gardens in the area, which help to capture, filter, and slowly infiltrate stormwater, thus reducing the load on municipal infrastructure and preventing pollutants from entering nearby waterways. Alternatively, a different planning team might identify the need to promote active transportation to reduce the carbon emissions in their neighbourhood. Action projects might include hosting a bike repair clinic in a nearby parkette, distributing bike helmets and lights to neighbours, or holding a “bike rodeo” where Safe Cycling instructors teach safety and skills. While individuals can implement simple actions to lower their own ecological footprints, climate change requires a larger, more coordinated response. By bringing neighbours together—whether

gathering for an educational workshop or a good old-fashioned block party with an added eco-twist—the BEAN project will inevitably build new connections, strengthen existing relationships, and improve the community’s response to climate change on a neighbourhood-level scale. Are you ready to be part of the solution? EcoSuperior is currently recruiting Champions and BEAN Team members in the Northwood,

Grandview, and Picton/Blucher neighbourhoods. Contact aynsley@ecosuperior.org for more information.

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JanuaryEventsGuide January 1, 9 am–2 pm

January 4-6, 10 am–5 pm

January 7, 6:30–7:30 pm

Gunflint Lodge

Victoriaville Mall

Brodie Resource Library

New Year’s Day Brunch

Celebrate the New Year with a special Northwoods brunch at Justine’s.

visitcookcounty.com

January 1, 7–9 pm

Tuesday Night Trivia Grandma Ray’s

Come join the fun and bring a team or join one that’s already present!

visitcookcounty.com

January 2, 8:30–10 pm

Songwriter Series Lutsen Mountains

On Monday nights Papa Charlie’s transforms into a listening room showcasing the Midwest’s most talented songwriters in a theatre-like setting. The intimate room coupled with its impeccable sound allows the audience to immerse into the stories and craft of the song.

lutsen.com

January 3, 2:30–3:30 pm

Snow Slime

County Park Branch Library

Brrr! Join us and make your very own sparkly snow slime to take home.

tbpl.ca

Until January 3

Natural History Exhibition

The Foundation for Animal Rescue and Education is combining forces with Little Ray’s Nature Center to bring you this fun, educational event. This 12,000-square-foot exhibit will feature a sloth, armadillo, barn owl, alligator, snakes, tarantulas, ferrets, and much, more!

facebook.com/ events/186447168901048

January 5 & 6

Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race Gunflint Trail

Dog teams will navigate over frozen lakes and through forests blanketed in snow, and you can be there to cheer them on. See this month’s Top Five for more info.

gunflintmail.com

January 5, 12, 19, 26, 10 am–3 pm

Market Day The Hub Bazaar

Visit The Hub Bazaar to shop at the southside market full of entrepreneurs dedicated to the revitalization of downtown Fort William. This market guarantees a unique shopping experience.

facebook.com/thehubbazaar

The Undercover Project

January 6, 1–3 pm

Please donate new socks and underwear at our store donation site or at donation bins distributed throughout the city.

Prince Arthur’s Landing

Community Clothing Assistance

admin@clothingassistance.com

January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 7:30 pm

Latin Dancing Urban Abbey

A quick Latin dancing lesson followed by dancing.

urbanabbey.ca

Winter FunDays Winter Programming with Parks Canada This week, Parks Canada is offering programming! Head on down to Prince Arthur’s Landing for some winter fun! After you’ve enjoyed the activity outside, you can warm up with a creative activity inside the Baggage Building Arts Centre— this week, the Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) will be helping participants create hot air balloons and design a future wish card to put in the basket of the balloon.

Music and Wellness Workshop Start the new year off right with this drop-in workshop designed to help improve your self-care routine through the planned addition of music.

January 10, 1:30–3 pm

Wit Knits

Mary J.L. Black Library

Whether you’re new to knitting or experienced, you are welcome to join Wit Knits, a group that gets together to knit (or crochet). Along with knitting, they will share stories and laughs with fellow group members.

tbpl.ca

tbpl.ca

January 7, 14, 21, 28, 7:30 pm

January 12, 10 am–5 pm

Urban Abbey

Baggage Building Arts Centre

Swing Dancing

Viking Card Weaving

Enjoy a simple swing dance lesson followed by dancing.

Weave a band using a pattern discovered on the Oseberg Viking burial ship.

urbanabbey.ca

January 8, 6:30–8:30 pm

facebook.com/ baggagebuildingarts

Ontario Arts Council Grant Writing 101: Project Design Lab

Until January 12

Want to learn more about how to turn your arts project idea into a funding application? This interactive session will provide artists with the tools to write stronger OAC grant applications. Learn about how to write about the artistic merit, impact, and viability of your project.

Definitely Superior Art Gallery

Mary J.L. Black Library

tbpl.ca

January 9, 7–8 pm

Graphic Novel Book Club

Waverley Resource Library

30th Regional Juried Show & Sarah Mason Retrospective

Untamed: 30th Annual Regional Juried Exhibition features art by 30+ individual, eclectic, and diverse contemporary artists selected from the region, in the only annual professional/paid, juried format exhibition in Northwestern Ontario. Comet Chaser: A Retrospective. A special solo exhibition in honour of Sarah Mason. Sarah was a critically acclaimed regional/national emerging artist who mentored dozens of youth through Die Active, while developing and maintaining a strong artistic career of her own, exhibiting and publishing original illustrations across North America.

Are you an adult who likes to read graphic novels? This group is for you! Members will meet one Wednesday a month to discuss graphic novels based on a chosen theme.

definitelysuperior.com/Facebook

tbpl.ca

January 13, 1–3 pm

Winter FunDays Monthly Vegan Dinner Programming with Parks Canada Masala Grille January 9

By popular demand, the annual World Vegan Day dinner buffet is back monthly! The vegan dinner buffet is complete with appetizers and dessert.

masalagrille.com

thunderbay.ca

Prince Arthur’s Landing

This week, Parks Canada is offering programming! Head on down to Prince Arthur’s Landing for some winter fun! After you’ve enjoyed the activity outside, you can warm up with a creative activity inside the Baggage Building Arts Centre— this week, the Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP)

will be helping participants explore the properties of air in relation to aircraft.

thunderbay.ca

January 13, 9 pm–2 am

Christmas Comes to Those Who Wait Red Lion Smokehouse

Red Lion Smokehouse’s Annual Industry Christmas Party is BACK! Do you work in retail or hospitality? Are you going to miss all of the season’s events because you’re working them? This is the one Christmas Party you should not miss because it is just for you.

facebook.com/ redlionsmokehouse

January 13, 10 am–6 pm

Empowered

IRON Performance

Break in the new year with this fun-filled, educational day of fitness, motivation, and empowerment. Various forms of fitness will be taught by the best of Thunder Bay along with information about ways to get involved.

amyslemko@gmail.com

Until January 13

Remains of the Lake & The Northern Landscape Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, Grand Marais

A photo art exhibit by photographers John Gregor and Tami Phillippi featuring John’s black and white collection “Remains of the Lake” and Tami’s colourful northern landscape pieces.

johnsonheritagepost.org

Until January 13

Reclaimed

Thunder Bay Art Gallery

An exhibition of hand-restored axes, hatchets, and sledges by Curtis MacKay Wilson of Fablewood Homestead. The handles are handcarved and flame-hardened from reclaimed wood.

theag.ca

Travel Savers – share more, stay connected tbaytel.net/mobility TM

2 90 The Walleye The Walleye

Rogers and the Mobius Design are trademarks of or used under license from Rogers Communication Inc. or an affiliate.


January 14, 6:30–8 pm

Astronaut Selection Process

Waverley Resource Library

Join Francis Hane as he talks about the astronaut selection process, gives participants an opportunity to complete one of the exercises that had to be completed, and discusses what he learned during the selection process, followed by a Q & A session.

tbpl.ca

January 15-18

Bring it On Finlandia Hall

This contemporary musical is sprinkled with sass and inspired by the hit film of the same name. The story is a complex journey of friendship, jealousy, betrayal, and forgiveness. See this month’s Film & Theatre section for more info.

applauzeproductions.com

January 16, noon–2 pm

Community Conversation: The 100 Day Project Grand Marais Art Colony

Enliven your creative process this winter by committing to 100 days of artistic pursuit. This is an information meeting to start individual art projects.

grandmaraisartcolony.org

January 16, 23, 30, 7 pm

Grapes & Gather Velvet Rope Floral Thunder Bay

Escape the cold and take home a little piece of the tropics with our Heat Up The Winter Floral and Wine night! A tropical floral workshop will guide you through making a beautiful floral arrangement with tropical greens and flowers.

velvetropefloraldesign.com

January 17, 7 pm–9 pm

NOWW January Readings: Climate Change

Mary J.L. Black Library

Too hot, too cold, too rainy, too snowy, too dry, ozone layer, degrees in relationships, extremes, political climates, unexpected changes, anticipation. Listen to NOWW members read poetry about climate change. There is also an open mic for poetry at all readings.

nowwwriters.ca

January 18, 7–9 pm

Artist Talk: Approaches to Water Grand Marais Art Colony

Lake Superior is the primary subject matter of Karen Owsley Nease’s artwork. She will discuss her depictions of its waters as points of departure in the development of a painting, as well as her uses of it, which span from metaphor to emotional driver to design element.

grandmaraisartcolony.org

January 18–20

Art of Resistance Victoria Inn

Inspired by the creative process and digital storytelling of Honouring Our Stories, celebrate resilience, strengthen community, and collaborate creatively with one another at this three-day conference.

nwowomenscentre.org

January 18 & 19

Comedian of the North DaVinci Centre

Laughter really is the best medicine, and you can get a double dose of it at this year’s Comedian of the North contest. See this month’s Top Five for more info.

superiorcountry.ca

January 19, 2–3 pm

Google CS First Club Brodie Resource Library

No prior coding experience required. Class will introduce students to computer science and the programming language Scratch. Students will learn to create computer art/character, interactive stories, games, and animations.

tbpl.ca

January 19, 7:30 pm

The Ghomeshi Effect Magnus Theatre

The Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre presents: The Ghomeshi Effect. This is a powerful documentary dance/theatre performance that tackles sexual violence in Canada through an edited series of documented interviews, and uses dance to inform and interrogate the language used in the discussion of sexual violence.

January 20, 1–3 pm

Winter FunDaysFIS World Snow Day Activities with Children and Youth Prince Arthur’s Landing

This week, Children and Youth are offering programming in celebration of FIS World Snow Day! Afterward, you can warm up with a creative activity inside the Baggage Building Arts Centre—this week, the Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) will be helping participants explore the properties of air in relation to aircraft.

thunderbay.ca

January 20, 6:30–10:30 pm

Poetry Night Awards Dinner & Show Urban Abbey

There will be awesome entertainment, spaghetti dinner, and poets. This is a one-night fundraiser with all proceeds going towards future events at The Nest Studio.

621-5310

January 20, 4:30–5:30 pm

Snowshoe Club South Neebing Community Centre

Come join us and snowshoe the trails around South Neebing Community Centre.

facebook.com/southneebingcc

January 21, 5–9 pm

January 26

A Fashion Odyssey Black Pirates Pub

Thirty-five acts on a multi-arts stage, and one fabulous night of wearable art, fashion, music, and performance on the catwalk! Featuring eight local fashion houses, 15 wearable art exhibitions, seven performance acts, four live bands and DJs, hundreds in best DIY fashion/costume prizes, “walk off” challenges, paparazzi moments, fab catering earlier in the evening, and more! A fundraiser for Definitely Superior Art Gallery and LU Radio and part of DefSup’s Urban Infill series. See this month’s Top Five for more info.

definitelysuperior.com

January 26–May 4

Urban InfillArt In The Core 13 (Series)

Definitely Superior Art Gallery

DefSup’s fab Urban Infill series kicks off with Derelicte 11: A Fashion Odyssey. It is the next evolution of creative possibilities, revitalizing our downtown north core by capitalizing on assets of arts/culture and linking/ reinforcing connections through accessible empty spaces and active arts/business/social spaces. Engage with 18 multidisciplinary art projects between January and May, featuring works by 400 regional/national/ international artists at 25 downtown locations. Rediscover the Waterfront District through contemporary art!

definitelysuperior.com/Facebook

Retro Video Game Night

January 27, 7 pm

The Community Auditorium

magnustheatre.com

We’ve all played Fortnite at some point, but how often do you get to play retro games like Dance Dance Revolution? Come drop-in, hang out, play video games and eat snacks.

January 19, 7 pm

tbpl.ca

Of Reds & Whites: A Pairing of Wine & Song Valhalla Inn

Join wine connoisseur Paul Inksetter for an evening of fine wines paired with song and fine food! Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of table-hopping and chatting with friends and musicians. Be ready for an auction of extraordinary fine and promising new wines that you’ll definitely want to take home—along with the memories of a great evening!

tbso.ca

Waverley Resource Library

January 23, 2–3 pm

Card Making Class

County Park Branch Library

Join our returning artist Leslie Cano for a make-and-take workshop featuring card-making for any occasion. No experience is necessary and all materials are included.

tbpl.ca

January 24, 6–8:30 pm

Professional Practice: Critical Response Grand Marais Art Colony

January 19, noon–2:30 pm

Critical Response Process is an artist-led, multi-step, group system for giving and receiving feedback on creative processes and works-inprogress.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

grandmaraisartcolony.org

Why Knot Try Knitting?

Frustrated by those “easy” Pinterest patterns?! Even if you’re all thumbs, this is the course for you! A very simple beginning for anyone, with hands-on instruction, handouts, and even ongoing support.

facebook.com/ foodforthesoulstpauls

January 26, 9 am–noon

Winter Flea Market South Neebing Community Centre

Banff Mountain Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival will be making its annual tour stop here hosted by the Alpine Club of Canada Thunder Bay Section. Join the adventure with these hand-selected films all the way from Banff!

tbca.ca

January 27, 12–4 pm

Winter FunDays Dogsledding with Boreal Journeys Sled Dog Kennel Prince Arthur’s Landing

This week, Boreal Journeys Sled Dog Kennel is offering dogsledding! Head on down to the Spirit Garden at Prince Arthur’s Landing to experience riding a dogsled! Afterward, you can warm up with a creative activity inside the Baggage Building Arts Centre—this week, the Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) will be helping participants explore the different ways in which humans and non-human animals use water as a mode of transportation and livelihood via water-painting, flow-painting, and various collage projects.

January 29, 9:30 am–12:30 pm

Winter Morning Reading Group

Grand Marais Art Colony

Blue Arabesque: A Search for the Sublime by Patricia Hampl is a watercolour of writing, musing on observation, art, and leisure in the creative life. Read this novel and discuss incentives to show up and sources of inspiration, and the role of critique in our work.

grandmaraisartcolony.org

January 29, 6–8 pm

New Life for Old Bags St. Paul’s Anglican Church

This workshop will show you how to use plastic shopping (grocery) bags to create sleeping mats for the homeless.

facebook.com/ foodforthesoulstpauls

Until March 3

From the Permanent Collection: Carl Beam’s Exorcism Thunder Bay Art Gallery

Thirty-five years ago, internationally acclaimed artist Carl Beam (1943–2005) from M’Chigeeng First Nation completed his monumental art installation Exorcism. This work was Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s first commissioned work.

theag.ca

Until March 3

Lessons: The Artistry of Learning Thunder Bay Art Gallery

An exhibit featuring work by artists dedicated to the accumulation and sharing of knowledge. Works by Moses Amik Beaver, Zoe Gordon, Sarah Link, Jean Marshall, Riaz Mehmood, Crystal Nielsen, and Mavourneen Trainor come together, collectively making evident how artists both accrue and communicate knowledge. See this month’s Art section for more info.

theag.ca

Until March 3

21 Pillows

Thunder Bay Art Gallery

Enjoy Cheryl Wilson-Smith’s interactive installation exploring our impact on Earth. See this month’s Art section for more info.

theag.ca

EVENTS GUIDE KEY

General Art Food

Sports Music

thunderbay.ca

Enjoy this indoor winter flea market with multiple vendors!

facebook.com/southneebingcc

The Walleye The Walleye

91 3


JanuaryMusicGuide January 1 New Years Day Brunch ft James Boraski Duo AJ’s Trading Post 10 am • No Cover • AA

January 8 Thunder Bay Community Band Jam 250 Park Ave 7:30 pm • No Cover • AA

BevZ

Dragon’s Den 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

BevZ

Dragon’s Den 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 14 Every Folk’n Monday

January 21 Every Folk’n Monday

The Best Karaoke In TBay

The Best Karaoke In TBay The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 2 The Best Karaoke In TBay

January 9 The Best Karaoke In TBay

January 15 Thunder Bay Community Band Jam

January 22 Thunder Bay Community Band Jam

The Best Karaoke In TBay

The Best Karaoke In TBay

The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 3 Jazzy Thursday Nights

January 10 James Boraski Duo

Day of the J

Jazzy Thursday Nights

The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+ Black Pirates Pub 8 pm • $6 • AA

Seattle Coffee House 6:30 pm• No Cover • AA The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

Prime Time Karaoke

Prime Time Karaoke

Open Stage with Craig Smyth & Tiina Flank

90’s Night

PA Legion Branch 5 8:30 pm • No Cover • 19+

The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 4 DJ Big D

The Foundry 10 pm • $5 • 19+

Secret Baby Merch Fundraiser Black Pirates Pub 10 pm • $5 • 19+

January 5 Folk’n Saturday Nights The Foundry 1 pm • No Cover • 19+

PA Legion Branch 5 8:30 pm • No Cover • 19+ The Outpost 9 pm • $5–$10 • 19+

Open Stage with Craig Smyth & Tiina Flank The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 11 Waves

NV NightClub 10 pm • $10–$15 • 19+

TBSO Presents Northern Lights 2: Noondaagotoon - Night 1 Italian Cultural Centre 7:30 pm • $12–$42.50 • AA

The Married Singlemen w/ DJ Big D

January 12 Folk’n Saturday Nights

Phoebe the Feeb’s CD Release Party

TBSO Presents: Northern Lights 2: Noondaagotoon - Night 2

The Foundry 10 pm • $5 • 19+

Black Pirates Pub 10 pm • $5 • 19+

January 6 All-Star Karaoke

PA Legion Branch 5 3 pm • No Cover • 19+

Open Jam

PA Legion Branch 5 6 pm • No Cover • AA

BevZ

Dragon’s Den 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 7 Every Folk’n Monday The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

The Foundry 1 pm • No Cover • 19+

DaVinci Centre 7:30 pm • $12–$42.50 • AA

Brule Creek Band PA Legion Branch 5 8 pm • $3–$5 • 19+

Back In The Saddle NV NightClub 9 pm • $5 • 19+

Tumblestone Fundraiser Black Pirates Pub 10 pm • $TBA • 19+

January 13 All-Star Karaoke

PA Legion Branch 5 3 pm • No Cover • 19+

Open Jam

PA Legion Branch 5 6 pm • No Cover • AA

4 The Walleye 92 The Walleye

250 Park Avenue 7:30 pm • No Cover • AA The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 16 The Best Karaoke In TBay The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 17 Jazzy Thursday Nights The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

Prime Time Karaoke PA Legion Branch 5 8:30 pm • No Cover • 19+

TBSO Presents: Life Concert: Breathe the Music

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium 7:30 pm • $12–$52.50 • AA

Open Stage with Craig Smyth & Tiina Flank The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 19 James Boraski & Momentary Evolution Loch Lomond Ski Chalet 8 pm • No Cover • AA

SGFMS Presents: The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer Port Arthur Polish Hall 8 pm • $30 • AA

Folk’n Saturday Nights The Foundry 1 pm • No Cover • 19+

The 7th Annual Divas & Legends Drag Cover Show Black Pirates Pub 10 pm • $10 • 19+

The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

250 Park Ave 7:30 pm • No Cover • AA The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 23 The Best Karaoke In TBay The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 24 Jazzy Thursday Nights The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

TBSO Presents Conductor’s Concert: Two Rites of Passage

Hilldale Lutheran Church 7:30 pm • $12–$42.50 • AA

Prime Time Karaoke PA Legion Branch 5 8:30 pm • No Cover • 19+

Open Stage with Craig Smyth & Tiina Flank

January 26 Folk’n Saturday Nights The Foundry 1 pm • No Cover • 19+

Mini Pop Kids Take Flight Concert Tour Thunder Bay Community Auditorium 2:30 pm • $27–$65 • AA

James Boraski Duo

Crystal Beach Restaurant 5 pm • No Cover • AA

January 27 All-Star Karaoke

PA Legion Branch 5 3 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 20 All-Star Karaoke Open Jam

Open Jam

The Game: Canadian Tour

BevZ

PA Legion Branch 5 6 pm • No Cover • AA NV NightClub 8 pm • $55–$120 • 19+

The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 29 Thunder Bay Community Band Jam 250 Park Avenue 7:30 pm • No Cover • AA

The Best Karaoke In TBay The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 30 The Best Karaoke In TBay The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 31 Jazzy Thursday Nights The Foundry 7 pm • No Cover • 19+

The Cover Show 23 (Night 1 of 3) Black Pirates Pub 8 pm • $6 • AA

Prime Time Karaoke PA Legion Branch 5 8:30 pm • No Cover • 19+

Open Stage with Craig Smyth & Tiina Flank The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+ Brought to you by:

The Foundry 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

TBSO Presents: The Snowman: A Celebration of Friendship

PA Legion Branch 5 3 pm • No Cover • 19+

January 28 Every Folk’n Monday

Grassroots Church 3:30 pm • $9–$17.50 • AA PA Legion Branch 5 6 pm • No Cover • AA Dragon’s Den 10 pm • No Cover • 19+

For more info visit tbshows.com


LU RADIO’S MONTHLY TOP January Show Spotlight

20

Top 20 1 Art d’Ecco* Trespasser Paper Bag

2 Kandle* Holy Smoke Self-Released

Groovy Potential

Hosted by Tiina Flank Tuesdays 8-8:30 am Wednesdays 6-6:30 pm Groovy Potential is a tribute show to the late, great Prince and home to some of the grooviest tunes you’ll hear on any radio station. The show begins with the intro to Prince’s track “Groovy Potential,” off his final studio album HitnRun Phase Two, released in 2015, followed by a quick intro from host Tiina Flank. After that it’s nothing but grooves for 30 minutes straight! Motown, hip hop, soul, indie pop, electronica, and jazz, with a special focus on Canadian artists and a Prince pick each week. This isn’t a tour of Purple Rain, folks. These are deep, intense cuts inspired by the eclectic multi-instrumentalist, producer, writer, and performer extraordinaire, Prince O(+>.

Song of the moment: Prince - “17 Days”

3 Metric* Art of Doubt Crystal Math 4 Cold Lake Sun* Memento Mori Self-Released 5 Dilly Dally* Heaven Dine Alone 6 Mother Mother* Dance and Cry Universal 7 Ocean Alley Chiaroscuro Unified 8 Cat Power Wanderer Domino 9 Dan Mangan* More or Less Arts & Crafts 10 Royal Canoe* Peep This (single) Paper Bag 11 Hypoluxo Running On A Fence Broken Circles 12 Tokyo Police Club* Tokyo Police Club Dine Alone 13 Skegss My Own Mess Self-Released 14 Secret Baby* It’s a secret, baby Self-Released

Music CILU 102.7fm’s Monthly Charts for this issue reflect airplay for the month ending December 18, 2018. Check out our weekly charts online at luradio.ca and tune in to the Top 20 Countdown, Mondays from 4-6pm, or catch one of the rebroadcasts throughout the week! Keep it locked on 102.7fm - online streaming at luradio.ca

15 Richard Reed Parry* Quiet River of Dust Vol. 1 Anti-

2 deM atlaS Bad Actress Rhymesayers

3 Harry Vetro* Northern Ranger Self-Released

16 Rae Spoon* bodiesofwater Coax

3 Belly Immigrant Roc Nation

4 Joshua Rager Nonet* Jondo Bent River

17 Zack Bright* Voices Self-Released

4 Lone Wolf and Kub Lone Wolf & Kub Razor Tongue

18 Castlecomer Castlecomer Concord

5 Georgia Anne Muldrow Overload Brainfeeder

5

19 Jean-Paul De Roover* Run Rudolph Run Self-Released

International

20 Georgia Anne Muldrow Overload Brainfeeder

1 Novalima Ch’usay Wonderwheel

Electronic

2

1 Ought* Four Desires Merge 2 Farao Pure-O Western Vinyl 3 Royal Canoe* Peep This (single) Paper Bag Records 4 Marie Davidson Working Class Woman Ninja Tune 5 Ouri* We Share Our Blood Make It Rain

Beautiful Nubia And The Roots Renaissance Band* Atunluto EniObanke

3 Anchorsong Cohesion Tru-Thoughts 4 Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos Rockstone Colemine 5 Bicicletas Por La Paz Surfeando Un Cometa Self-Released

Jazz 1 Allison Au Quartet* Wander Wonder Self-Released

Hip Hop 1 Atmosphere Mi Vida Local Rhymesayers

Hard Rubber Orchestra* Kenny Wheeler: Suite For Hard Rubber Orchestra Justin Time

Loud 1 Jock Tears* Bad Boys Inky 2 Secret Baby* It’s a secret, baby Self-Released 3 The Dirty Nil* Master Volume Dine Alone 4 Fucked Up* Dose Your Dreams Arts & Crafts 5 Beastmaker Windows Of Evil Church Recordings

Folk•Roots•Blues 1

Otis Gibbs Once I Dreamed of Christmas Wanamaker Recording Company

2

Jonathan Byrd Jonathan Byrd and the Pick Up Cowboys Waterbug

3

Ken Tizzard* A Good Dog Is Lost: A Collection of Ron Hynes Songs Self-Released

4 Kat Danser* Goin’ Gone Black Hen 2

Jim Gelcer / Paul Hoffert Trio* Jim and Paul play Glenn and Ludwig Centrediscs

5 Collin Clowes* Blackbird Self-Released

* Indicates Canadian Content

Walleye The Walleye

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WeatherEye

January in Retrospect

Facts, Myths, and Oddities

Story by Graham Saunders, Photo by Darren McChristie

Making the best of it on Little Pigeon Bay, Lake Superior, January 2014

J

anuary is usually the coldest month of the calendar year in Thunder Bay and indeed, this is reality throughout central North America. However, this is not the case every year. A milder January sometimes allows December or February to claim honours for the coldest winter month. Some people assume that a “January thaw” is a given. Occasionally, daytime temperatures fail to even get close to melting. This was the case in January 1994, which was the coldest January ever recorded at Thunder Bay’s official weather/climate site at the Thunder Bay International Airport, with an

94 The Walleye

average or “mean” temperature (no pun intended) of -22°C. Often people believe that crossing the -40°C threshold is typical in our winter. This does happen, but quite infrequently. The last time Thunder Bay and area experienced -40°C in January was in 2014 in rural locations. It was a slightly warmer -39°C at the airport. Prior to this, -40.5°C was recorded in 2005. The coldest airport temperature ever recorded was on January 31, 1996 at -43.2°C. This was preceded by -40.5°C the day before and followed in early February by -40.6°C and -40.4°C, making it the coldest seven-day period in Thunder Bay in

records from 1877 to the present. On the warm side of past records is January 2007, with a mean temperature of -7.5°C, nine days above 0°C, and one day with a high of 9.5°C. The month of January tends to be warmer in recent times. The average mean temperature so far this decade is -13°C, compared to -16°C in the 1970s. Although Januaries are usually warmer than in the past (and we have not a -40°C for while) we still have cold Januaries. Here is another oddity: on January 3, at 12:20 am EST, Earth is at a special point in orbit around the sun. It is “perihelion”—from the

Greek “peri” meaning near and “helios” meaning sun—a mere 147 million km to the sun. This compares to July 4, 2019, when Earth reaches “aphelion,” or its most distant point, at 152 million km. In other words, Earth is about 5 million km closer to the sun in early January than it is in early July. This invites the question: why is it so cold if we are 5 million km closer to the Sun, the heat source? It’s because Earth’s seasonal tilt away from the sun at this time of the year overwhelms our closer proximity to the sun.


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TheWall in coffee shops, requested on college and university campuses—ally. This term, worn too easily by too many in the beginning, began to be defined as those who fight for the Indigenous when no such person is in the room. These allies are tasked with shutting down racism and racists before their rhetoric can do harm. These allies see action as the only way to handle the embarrassment that comes with our now national reputation. Allies and Indigenous alike understand that this is not an Indigenous storm. It is a national one and it is has been building for generations. Now it seems that it is overhead. Thanks to circumstance, history, and geography, Thunder Bay is in the eye of the nation and the storm. Leaders will emerge— hopefully. Conflict often does that. And I am certain, in time, resilience will silence racism, if for no other reason than our level of experience. After all, this isn’t the first time Indigenous children have died. But Indigenous leaders are determined

The Winds of Change Point of View By Sandi Boucher

T

hunder Bay is known for its storms. Rolling in over Gitchi Gaming (Anishinaabe for “big lake”), many storms grab the attention of city residents and visitors alike. But there’s a storm rumbling here that’s been brewing for years—a stormfront with Indigenous frustration trained in resilience on one side, meeting head on with redneck righteousness armed with the privilege to use it. Situated in the 1850 Treaty area, the city is home to many a non-Indigenous inhabitant who have managed to ignore the growing storm. After all, brown youth in the river don’t interfere with camp life or garden growing. Little attention is required from them by the youth, especially since these people believe

96 The Walleye

the kids are responsible for their own demise. But ever so slowly in recent months, things have begun to change, like the slow yet predictable change of the seasons. Men and women, light and dark, have begun to understand what privilege, racism, and discrimination look like. Armed with curiosity, these people have chosen to abandon their rose-coloured glasses and tourism brochures. This has allowed them to see, often for the very first time, how the Indigenous are treated with disgust far more often than respect by local shopkeepers and cab drivers, even when white counterparts are just as intoxicated or just as loud. A new term emerged, whispered

that the recent passing of yet another youth must be the last. The storm is brewing. The winds of change have already started to blow thanks to government confirmation of what Indigenous residents have always known—it is hard to be Indigenous in Thunder Bay. Soon, residents will be tasked with picking a side, before the storm itself decides for them. As Red Thunderbolt Woman, I say bring on the rain. It is time—time to wash away the façade of the city with the giant heart to reveal our true colours. As a city, we will decide how dark those colours will be. Sandi Boucher is a local entrepreneur working nationally as a trainer/ facilitator in the areas of Indigenous empowerment and Canadian reconciliation. Born and raised in northern Ontario and a proud member of Seine River First Nation, she has made Thunder Bay her home by choice, as she believes in its future. Send your thoughts to info@thewalleye.ca.


TheBeat

Madman Lyrics by Craig St. Cyr When I go in hiding, you’ve got much to say. You’ve found my weakness, and you’ve had your way. There’s no reason for you to be right here. The madman’s laughing, inside you now. You feel him moving, he’s figured out somehow, to try and guide you. Oh, and he might succeed. When my secrets, become your lies. You’ve implored me, when I criticize.

boy Roland, Hijacker, digital illustration

If you see me, Oh, just turn away. Got no answers, for you today. Now, you’ve found me, stuck beneath the ice. If I think three times, then why don’t I think twice? There’s no reason for you to be right here. The madman’s laughing Inside you now. You feel him moving. He’s figured out somehow. To try and guide you, and he might succeed. If my secrets, are now your lies. You’ve condemned me, when I criticize. When you see me, Oh just turn away. Got no answers,

WWW.LAKEHEADCA.COM @lakeheadregion

No time for you today.

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Luke Warm and The Cold Ones Live at The Foundry

Kay Lee

TheEye

98 The Walleye


T B AY ON

WHERE OFF THE BEATEN PATH MEANS YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK HERE IS WHERE I FOUND MYSELF VISITTHUNDERBAY.COM

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Meet the Winter-Ready SUV, The Honda CR-V.

2018 HONDA CR-V LX-2WD

When it comes to taking on the snow, sleet and ice of a Thunder Bay winter, every little bit helps.The CR-V blends practicality with a showstopping package

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of form and function. We’ve taken a sporty look and personality and jam-packed it with tons of innovative technology and features. Fun-to-drive, with superior winter handling,now throw a turbocharged engine in the mix, what more could you ask for? How about a great price and Honda quality? Done. Now get behind the wheel quali and experience the Honda CR-V yourself.

GORE MOTORS HONDA

1(807) 345-0902 361 Memorial Avenue, Thunder Bay, Ontario


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