Connecting UW to the local community through art, entertainment, and culture
Cl ck Tower
November 20, 2009 issue 1.
What’s the deal with punk rock? Find out inside...
2
Clock Tower — Friday, November 20, 2009
IMPRINT The University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
Cl ck Tower Friday, November 20, 2009 Issue 1 Student Life Centre, Room 1116 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800 http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Contents M usic hot-spot continues to grow........................4, 5 Zoe YeJin Kim Beyond the Cupboards: Caribbean Cuisine..............6,7
Production Staff Dinh Nguyen, Michael L. Davenport Paula Trelinska Deanna Ostafichuk Alcina Wong Jacqueline Chan Felicia Rahaman Katrina Massey Michael Chung
Michael To & Deanna Ostafichuk
Tick Tocks: local event guide........................10,11,14 Puala Trelinska, Deanna Ostafichuk & Sarah Rogella
Din to many, passion to some............................12, 13 Deanna Ostafichuk
Midterms minies (T.V. show reviews)..................15,16 Puala Trelinska, Deanna Ostafichuk, Felicia Rahaman, Dinh Nguyen & Sotonye Thompson
Graphics Team Alcina Wong
Development Team Dinh Nguyen Paula Trelinska Deanna Ostafichuk Alcina Wong Jacqueline Chan Zoe YeJin Kim Sarah Rogalla Steve Cutler Felicia Rahaman Katrina Massey Michael To Michael Chung Robyn Goodfellow Omri Arbiv Julia Gunst
Logo Design Maggie Clark
TJuliaheGunstprice of silence.................8,9 Michael Chung
Friday, November 20, 2009 — Arts and Entertainment
3
Let ter from the Arts Section Clock Tower. Criticized. Did you? We did:
“
“
It sounds boring.
”
”
“
”
It’s ancient. When I think CLock Tower, I think sniper in a tall building.
Is this a rendition of Watch Tower?
“ ” Just No.
We’ve been through the motion — every ounce of opposition our peers could raise. But in the end, the Arts Section supported the name. When we say Clock Tower, we’re referring to historical landmark by the Gaukel entrance of Victoria Park in Kitchener. The tower is a piece of the old Kitchener City Hall when it still existed, it has been a part of our community since 1876, when Kitchener was still the Town of Berlin. The tower has silent witness to countless changes in our community’s arts and entertainment culture. Is this relevant to UW? Bear with me. How many of us know that there is an adamant music and fine arts scene in Kitchener-Waterloo? How many of us know that within those abandoned looking penthouses atop of buildings in Kitchener lies an array of contemporary pieces of Found Arts ( art created from material that were once used, like water hoses and stop signs)? These ancient
“
buildings that house crackling stairs, rusting paint, and dark chandeliers, are home to independent art studios and headquarters to many grass root projects. If we examine other university towns we see that the university is a large part of the community, and takes part in it through public art interactions and events. Here at UW, most students don’t even go downtown Kitchener until later in their university career; and even then they know little about it. Art is the interaction between the physical and the emotional. Good art interact with the audience in some way, and cannot be tied down to a single university campus. The local community is rich with art culture. For this reason, Clock Tower’s mission statement is to “connect UW to the local community through art, entertainment, and culture.” We take it upon ourselves as an extension of the campus’ Arts and Entertainment section to provide students with the opportunity to better interact with the local community,
”
Imprint is producing religious literature?
and furthermore, understand that students are an important part of Kitchener-Waterloo. And nothing represents our mission better than the Victoria Park Clock Tower (again bear with me). The City of Kitchener was in cahoots with the Record, when they planned to demolish the old Kitchener City Hall and replace it with a shopping-mall in 1971. They struck an agreement to have The Record not release an article about the process until the building was brought down. It was The Chevron, Waterloo’s official student newspaper at the time, that leaked the story to the public. With people for and against the demolition, the result was a struggle that led to a majority vote for tearing down the building. Though the city’s decision was still carried out, the valuable contribution UW made as part of the community still remains in the achieves until this day. If you turn to our centre spread (Page 8 and 9) you will also learn that the Clock Tower was restored in the mid 90’s and has
been transformed into a piece of installation art. What better title to represent this magazine than Clock Tower? When it comes to art, the creator often hides a deeper meaning beneath its surface. For this reason, Clock Tower is perfect.
Dinh Nguyen arts and entertainment editor
“
4
Clock Tower — Friday, November 20, 2009 Since their opening last year, Maxwell’s
has hosted over two hundred and seventy-five concerts of all genres, from indie rock to reggae to hip-hop and classical.
Children also learn to play in bands and write songs.
”
Music hot-spot continues to rise
Friday, November 20, 2009 — Arts and Entertainment Zoe YeJin Kim reporter
A
s a part of the growing art scene, few businesses play such an important role to the students of KW as Maxwell’s Music House. Tucked away along a line of restaurants and stores on King Street, Maxwell’s is the perfect place for music fanatics to see live bands, for independent artists to get some exposure, and for students to hang out during the evenings and weekends. However the music house does so much more than provide a place for music to be played and heard. Since its opening last year, it has become a community for artists and art lovers of all ages and genres that encourages and supports artistic growth and appreciation. Paul Maxwell, the CEO and president of Maxwell’s Music House, created this space to be a “full service music facility” with its main services being live music and music lessons. However, it also acts as a rehearsal space for bands, hosts a number of parties, special events, and programs, and supports the local art scene by letting artists showcase their work and by selling independent art and music at the club. Since their opening last year, Maxwell’s has hosted over two hundred and seventy-five concerts of all genres, from indie rock to reggae to hip-hop and classical. One hundred and fifty students now take lessons at Maxwell’s and it is home to programs such as the Special Needs Program for children with disabilities to learn about music, and a rock camp for children to learn to play in bands and write songs. Not only that, but the music house hosts a number of charity events as well. This weekend, they will be hosting an event for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind in which all proceeds will go to providing vision support services for visually impaired Canadians. On the 28th, they are supporting “Movember,” the annual moustache-growing charity event that focuses on men’s health issues – mainly prostate cancer. The event will welcome Stayle Fish, a London-based band who has toured with Il Scarlett and has played at various big music festivals, to the stage, and all proceeds will go to prostate cancer research.
Maxwell’s is also home to the biannual Battle of the Bands, which is catered more toward new, student bands around the area. The tournament takes place over a span of four weeks and the grand prize is worth over $1000, not to mention the exposure the band will receive as the judges are all important people from the music industry. Aside from these larger events, the music house hosts a number of smaller acts, including Open Mic Tuesdays, where anyone is welcome to go on stage and perform, Open Jam Wednesdays, where a live band is provided and people are welcome to join them, and on Sunday they have a pay-what-youcan night with three local bands. Though Paul and his team go through a demanding screening process when booking bands, there are often times when very few people show up. “We try to make sure that quality is always consistent,” said Maxwell. “We’ve had over 600 bands play here, but you’ve probably only heard of a few of them.” It is hard to attract a crowd when most of the indie bands they book are virtually unknown by the community. A good example of this is when Maxwell’s booked Mark Berube, a Montreal singer-songwriter who Maxwell considers one of the “best performers you’ll ever see.” Though Berube could have easily sold out a show of 400 seats in Montreal, at Maxwell’s he had barely an audience of 20 people. But he points out that there are slow nights everywhere, even in movie theatres. “It’s frustrating,” said Maxwell, “but we try to make these slow nights as fun as possible.” And here lies the reason Maxwell’s is such an important part of the KW arts community. Its goal is not to draw in the largest crowd with big name acts but to ensure quality and educate people about these amazing unknown bands. Not only that, but it is a student friendly place with “a good vibe and a good sound” and there’s something for everyone here. “If you have a love for music, love seeing live bands and playing, and are looking for something on the cheaper end of entertainment, then this is a great place to go.” said Maxwell.
5
Photos by Michael Chung
6
Beyond the cupboards
Clock Tower — Friday, November 20, 2009
Michael Chung
Rainbow Caribbean Cuisine
3 out of 5 nom-noms
J
amaican food has always struck me as exotic, and will continue to do so. During some of my (rare) free time, I decided to indulge in the “main-Jamaican” restaurant scene in downtown Kitchener (Waterloo) along with two colleagues at the Rainbow Café. It was a quaint café that held a subtle family atmosphere. Their food is all of somewhat good, reasonably priced, and great for Jamaican food on-the-go. We navigated King Street for the restaurant which was undergoing renovations — it was boarded up and a little sign saying “Rainbow Café Downstairs.” We were introduced to a comfy yet somewhat obscure cafe, where half of the walls were still boarded up and what little decor we could see were pictures of smiling families surrounding the tables nearby. It was a sort-of cafeteria /bakery setting, where you can see the food in the heating trays and order what looks good along with a selection of baked goods
in adjacent glass casings. It was difficult for me to decide what to get because I didn’t know if I wanted chicken, pork or beef, and either the “jerk-,“ “stewed-” or “fried-“ variants of those meats, or whether I should try the exotic stewed salmon instead. After asking for the clerk’s recommendation, I got the stewed-chicken dish, while my companions ordered the jerkchicken dishes. Each dish included a bowl of rice, an option of soup or salad and a plantain. Between us we got the soup and the garden salad. The dishes looked quite intriguing; with its many shades of brown, and dark stew colours, which were just screaming for me to take a bite out of it. The chicken soup was delightfully surprising. It had a body similar to that of curry, but it tasted like a chicken soup. It had a stronger emphasis on the chicken and spices while leaving a warming, spicy flavour in the back of the throat. Strangely enough, there was a dough-like dumpling that was minimally sweet and added another level of “mystery” to the
broth. “It’s perfect for those cold winter days.” remarked one of my friends, and I completely agreed with him. There was enough spice to warm the body, but wasn’t the kind of spiciness to burn the throat, which was lovely. The rest of the dish, however, was surprising but for a less delightful reason. The rice tasted like it had so much potential towards having a strong flavour, but instead withheld it and settled for a bland taste instead. The chicken was somewhat dry, and much of the flavour in the stew stayed within the stew and didn’t soak into the meat very well. However, the plantain added an exotic sweet flavour to the meal; it suddenly added a punch of mysterious sweetness to the dish that I enjoyed. I’m someone who has a devilish sweet tooth, so I ate the plantain so quickly that I wish that they had offered more plantain with the dish. I was thankful that the juice I got (a mango carrot blend) was fantastically full and sweet, and it helped fill in the missing sweetness in the meal.
As I sat there enjoying my food, I watched many locals strolled in, order their take-out deliciousness and leave for their day’s business. This happened frequently in our one hour sitting. From casual office workers to university students, from teenagers to Jamaicans in dreadlocks, people were flocking in and out of the store, and I found the sight very interesting. I could completely see this café as the Jamaican food centre of the area, though the taste would make me believe otherwise. I was always told that Jamaican food had an estranged flavour that I should enjoy more often. I had imagined a variety of flavours in a single dish, switching from sweet to savoury like a dance, but such expectations weren’t fulfilled here. Yes, this was enjoyable Jamaican food, but I honestly believe that the meat and rice could have been better. However, If you’re looking for a quick meal and are interested in a taste of Jamaica, go for the Rainbow Caribbean Café and pick up some food. — Michael To
Friday, November 20, 2009 — Arts and Entertainment
7
Beyond the cupboards
Chicken from the Island Deanna Ostafichuk staff reporter
I
magine sitting at a table surrounded by the intoxicating aroma of delicious food placed all around you. Typically in Caribbean cuisine; a meal is served all at once; everything is placed on the table, allowing guests to serve themselves. Place yourself into this world, choosing from among a large variety of meats and fixings. This form of gathering, encompasses the Caribbean culinary style to a tee. Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of styles from every corner of the world. Incorporating Spanish, French, English, East Indian, Chinese, and of course indigenous cuisine, the modern Caribbean style creates an entirely different experience from those found in other areas of the world. Drawing on the above flavours, Caribbean cuisine, is something to be admired. Consisting of a main dish accompanied by a variety of sides, it truly allows one to experience the eclectic nature of Caribbean food. For the most part, the cuisine can be divided into two different categories: food from Spanishspeaking islands and that from English-speaking islands. Contrary to what may be the popular opinion, traditional Caribbean cuisine actually draws most of their flavours from English speaking countries, most dishes consist of rice and peas, curries, jerks, fried dumplings, seafood, and plantains. The cuisine on Spanish-speaking islands, however has a Latin American flare, with tortillas, tamales, and salsas.
The Caribbean style of cooking consists of a large variety of meats, seafood, and spices. Typical meats associated with this style are beef, pork, chicken, and goat. Often served as a stew, these dishes are typically accompanied with rice and peas. Considering that the majority of the Caribbean nations are islands, it’s understandable that a large portion of their cuisine consists of seafood such as shrimp, conch, and a variety of fish. The one thing that makes Caribbean cuisine truly individual is their use spices, often using combinations of thyme, pimento (also called allspice), and curry. One of the flavours most indicative of this region is jerk. The term ‘jerk’ typically refers to the method of cooking, although the exact meaning varies. The tribe Quechua’s word “charqui” which means dried meat, generated the Caribbean term “jerk” as well as the North American term jerky. For Caribbean natives, it was developed as a method of smoking. However, modern barbecuing processes have adapted the term ‘jerk’ to what is now viewed as jerk meat. The jerk marinade which provides that oh-so-special taste is a combination of scallions (similar to green onions), onions, thyme, pimento, cinnamon, nutmeg, and Scotch bonnet pepper. However, just as important as the marinade, is the wait time. It’s exceedingly important to wait for at least 4-12 hours for the marinade to properly absorb into the meat.
Jamaican Jerk Pork Ingredients:
3 tbsp vegetable oil • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1 Scotch bonnet chili pepper, seeded, and, minced • 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme • 1 tbsp paprika • 2 tsp allspice • 2 tsp pepper • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp nutmeg • 2 x 12 oz pork, tenderloin •
Directions:
1 2 3 4
In a bowl, combine the oil, garlic, chili pepper, thyme, paprika, allspice, pepper, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to create marinade.
Add the pork tenderloin. Turning it to coat it with the jerk marinade. Allow it to marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Then place the pork on a greased grill over mediumhigh heat; close the lid and cook, turning twice, over roughly 18 minutes or until the juices run clear when the pork is pierced and just a hint of pink remains inside. Transfer to cutting board when done. Tent with foil and let stand five minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick slices. — With files from www.foodtv.ca
dostafichuk@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Michael Chung
8
“
Clock Tower — Friday, November 20, 2009
Despite the importance of this sale, total silence of the deal was maintained in local media, including The Record
”
and CKCO, who supported the $1 million transaction by remaining silent
The price of silence
Friday, November 20, 2009 — Arts and Entertainment
9
Photos by: Michael Chung (left) and Dinh Nguyen (top right)
In 1995 the clock tower was restored to Victoria Park, Kitchener. Now it a monument surrounded by installation art. Julia Gunst reporter
I
n 1971, Oxlea Investments, a mall developer, and the T. Eaton Company embarked on a plan that would permanently scar a landmark in Kitchener-Waterloo’s history. Their agenda was to buy up city centre land, and use the land for a Eaton's mall and other commercial uses, hence targeting the old Kitchener City Hall -- a neoclassical architectural gem built in 1924, but too small for administrative needs. It supported space for a farmer’s market and a public square, giving much needed space for the community to freely enjoy. The old city hall was a true cultural landmark at Benton and King Streets. Despite the importance of this sale, total silence of the deal was maintained in local media, including
The Record and CKCO, who supported the $1 million transaction by remaining silent even though they were privy to these meetings and discussions. This was to the most benefit of Oxlea and T. Eaton, not the community. The Chevron, the name of UW’s student newspaper at the time, found out about the impending deal and ran an article on June 25, 1971; three days before the final decision was made. The Record scrambled to get its own version out later that day. Although this was probably too late to fully inform the public and allow for their participation in the decision, it proved a commitment to demanding openness and discussion on significant local issues. The incident became known as the Oxlea affair, and many felt betrayed by the total disregard for public participation. Opposition eventually gathered enough force to
appeal the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board, but after hearings and a referendum, the final decision to go through with Oxlea’s deal remained unchanged. The parks, public space, and historic architecture were all lost forever and replaced with bland, block-like mall. But the clock tower survived the demolition and remains in Victoria Park to this day. 1995 brought rebirth as the clock tower was resurrected from its former disassembled state, and rebuilt in Victoria Park with the help of volunteers and donations. It had sat languishing in a city works yard, where it was placed after the demolishing of the old city hall. The bell is impressively equal in size to the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, and the tower stands at 36 feet in height. It stands as a reminder
that we cannot lose our connection to our culture, our community or our history. Victoria Park today has been a important facet of the local arts scene in Kitchener with the installation of Ernest Daetwyler’s limestone sculptures titled The Luggage Project, and the hosting of the Multicultural Festival, Kitchener Blues Festival, and other events. Clock Tower, as an addition to Imprint, hopes to strengthen UW’s ability to access and influence local arts and culture in the K-W area and to support its continued growth and development. As students in the area, we play an important role in the vitality of what the clock tower in Victoria Park represents: community, participation and the creativity of the human spirit.
10
Clock Tower — Friday, November 20, 2009
tick tocks
Music Friday, November 20 Crush Luther —— Jimmy Jazz —— free —— 8 p.m. Jerry Leger & Spencer Teeter —— Maxwell’s Music —— $5 w. Student card —— 9 p.m., 19+ Chris Whitley Tribute w. The Moon Dogs —— The Boathouse —— $5
Saturday, November 21
November 21 ctnd. Forgotten Under Common Knowledge —— The Hive —— $5 —— 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 22
Mike Branton w. Jim & Al —— The Boathouse —— 3 p.m.
Paul Macleod —— The Boathouse —— 9 p.m.
Tuesday, November 25
Andre Wiliams & The Sadies —— The Starlight —— $18 advance —— 8 p.m. 19+ (music)
Student Recitals —— Conrad Grebel Chapel —— Free —— 12:30 p.m.
Silver Anniversary Concert —— WLU Maureen Forrester Concert Hall —— 7:30 p.m.
Open Jam —— Maxwell’s Music House —— 7 p.m.
Advent in Leipzig by Grand Philharmonic Choir Chamber Singers —— St. Peters Lutheran Church —— $10 —— 8 p.m. Fluke —— The Boathouse —— 3 p.m. David Celia band & The Nights Below —— The Boathouse —— $5
—— Free —— 10 p.m. Jessica Stuart Few & The Orfs —— Maxwell’s Music House —— 9 p.m. King Roller —— The Boathouse
Thursday, November 27
Lovely Feathers w. Thunder & Lightning —— Jimmy Jazz —— Free —— 10 p.m.
Bury the Bully & The Rosewoods —— Maxwell’s Music House —— $5 —— 9 p.m. —— w. Student Card, +19 Shawn Kellerman —— The Boathouse —— $5
Welly Wednesdays —— The Boathouse
Janina Plays Chopin —— Centre in the Square —— $20 —— 8 p.m.
Sam Nabi —— SLC Great Hall —— 7 p.m.
Friday, November 28
Wednesday, November 26
Student Recitals —— Conrad Grebel Chapel —— Free —— 12:30 p.m.
The Drudgery, Norris & Terrorhorse —— Jimmy Jazz
University of Waterloo Choir Concert —— St. John the Evangelist Church, $10/$8 —— 8-10 p.m. Fleece Elves w. Square Root of Margaret —— Jimmy Jizzy —— Free —— 10 p.m.
Friday, November 20, 2009 — Arts and Entertainment
11
tick tocks
Music continued Friday, November 28 Staylefish & Loaded Dice —— Maxwell’s Music House —— $15 —— 9 p.m. —— Angel Voices —— Benton Street Baptist Church —— $20 —— 7:30 p.m. Fluke —— The Boathouse —— 3 p.m. Kicking Trudy —— The Boathouse —— $5 KWS Youth Orchestra —— Centre in the Square —— $10 —— 2p.m. Janina Plays Chopin —— Centre in the Square —— $20 —— 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 29 Chamber Choir Concert — St. John the Evangelist — $10/$8 —7:30-9:30 p.m. Stage Band —— Conrad Grebel Great Hall, —— $8/$5 —— 2-4pm
Paul MacLeod & Adrian Bradbury —— The Boathouse —— 9pm KWS Generations : Berlioz, Wagner & Liszt —— Centre in the Square —— 2:30 p.m. —— $13-20
Sunday, November 30
Tuesday, December 2 Cuff the Duke —— Starlight —— $13 advance —— +19 —— 8p.m. Open Jam —— Maxwell’s Music House —— 7p.m.
Student Recitals —— Conrad Grebel Chapel —— Free —— 12:30 p.m.
Welly Wednesdays —— The Boathouse
Instrumental Chamber Ensembles —— Conrad Grebel Chapel —— Free —— 7:30 p.m.
Swollen Members —— Starlight —— $18 advance —— +19 —— 9 p.m.
Matthew Good —— Centre in the Square —— 8pm, —— $24.50-49.50
Wedsnesday, December 3
Orchestra —— UW,Humanities Theatre —— 8pm-10pm
Mother Mother —— Centre in the Square —— 7 p.m. —— $34.50
Hot Kid w. Mercy Now —— Jimmy Jazz —— 10 p.m. —— Free
Monday, December 1
Daddy Long Legs —— The Boathouse
Student Recitals —— Conrad Grebel Chapel —— 12:30-1:30pm
Thursday, December 4
Open Mic Night —— Maxwell’s Music House Open Stage —— The Boathouse —— 8 p.m.
Run with the Kittens —— Jimmy Jazz —— 10pm —— Free
“
12
Clock Tower — Friday, November 20, 2009
For those out there who are interested in starting a punk rock band, don’t worry; it’s reasonably easy. Be passionate — that’s probably the most important thing. It’s not necessary to be a great musician or singer, if you have enough drive.
”
Din to many, Passion to some
13
Photos courtesy Broadcast Zero (left) and Life in a Vacuum (top right)
From left photo to right photo: Local punk rock bands, Broadcast Zero and Life in a Vacuum, respectively. Deanna Ostafichuk staff reporter
A
t the University of Waterloo, secluded as we are, it's important to venture out into the world outside our campus to experience the life of those on the outside. Punk rock is a great way to understand other points of view, to live life through another person's shoes, to depart from our small world out into reality. Just go out and listen to music. That's why artists make it, why they spend the time setting up their instruments and preparing the stage. They want to spread the word, to get others to listen to them.
KW punk rock scene Walking into the Imprint office, Kyle Dee of Broadcast Zero and Sasha Chornyy of Life in Vacuum looked their parts. As members of punk rock bands, their leather jackets, multiple piercings, and hairstyles are common. Drawing on previous experiences, Dee and Chornyy talked about their influences, how they started up, and the punk rock scene in Kitchener-Waterloo and Canada. The KW scene may be hard to find but it’s well worth the look, and is very present in the lives of those engrossed in this specific genre. For most of us here at UW, we have no idea that KitchenerWaterloo houses a punk rock scene, bands from the west, the east, and the United States come and visit our venues, to experience, and share their music. The KW scene is something growing right before the eyes of
those involved. Like every band, Broadcast Zero and Life in Vacuum hope that they will be able to contribute not only on a local level but also worldwide. Broadcast Zero seems to be at the forefront of our own personal punk rock movement. Being signed to a record label is a big deal, bigger is the fact that one member was a starting member of Rebel time Records. Taking a step this big, proves that they could force the movement to succeed, to move forward in the world. Not only have they had shows in Waterloo, but they have also toured to the western coast, the eastern coast, even going as far as the Yukon. For punk rockers, music isn't just a pass time it's a way of life. Taking the time to have 42 shows in two months demonstrates to all that these rockers are very serious about their music, and that they are working hard to show the world that KW is a place where punk rock bands can come out to play. For punk rock bands in KW, it is necessary for people to come out and experience their music and to listen to their sound. Remember, although the bands may initially write for themselves, you are important too, and we all play a role in the formation of the movement happening around us. Although the music they produce and the style they adopt is ultimately the decision of the band, they still want us, the public, to like their music and understand their messages. To meet them and listen to their stories. Rockers love what they do, it's more than just work or a source of income — it's a lifestyle. It's their thoughts, their beliefs, and they are putting it all out there for us to listen to and absorb.
What is punk rock? Punk rock in itself is something that is slightly hard to describe. Neither Dee nor Chornyy were able to come up with a consensus, as the genre means something different to every person. For most people it's about honesty, about self-expression, and most importantly about spreading a message that you think is important. Punk rock typically features frank and confrontational lyrics which often attack social and political issues. For Dee, punk rock is all about catchy, sing-along songs with positive messages about everyday life. For Chornyy punk rock is progressive, it grows as you do, expanding on your everyday life, punk rock can be about anything. It is about pushing the limit, having harder parts, softer parts, effectively combining them. This is the way that many musicians choose to take part, and make an impact on the world around them, to change the world in a way not many of us have thought of. For those out there who are interested in starting a punk rock band, don’t worry, it’s reasonably easy. Be passionate — that’s probably the most important thing. It’s not necessary to be a great musician or singer if you have enough drive. Dee jokingly added awesome clothing helps, but then said that punk rock isn’t about how you look; it’s about questioning everything, having your guard up, coming together with a group of people and doing something that matters. It takes the right kind of people to make a cohesive band. It’s all about chemistry, and as Chornyy commented the band becomes your girlfriend.
Make sure not to concentrate on getting famous. Punk rock isn’t about getting a record deal, it’s just about doing your thing, having fun. Life in Vacuum is a perfect example — even though they aren’t on with a record company they are still able to organise their shows and their finances, to make their music. Remember that the most thing isn’t money, it’s the sense of accomplishment that you get when people are listening to what you are saying, and understanding it. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll influence the world around you, in ways many people have never imagined. For me, having this kind of world present in KW and not even knowing about it seems impossible, but only last week I was walking through my little world on campus, ignorant of the fact that there were hard working punk rock bands, living just next door. From this day on, I refuse to be ignorant, I want to learn — I want to experience, and I want to listen. So don’t just sit all alone in that library, don’t just play around on the computer, venture outside, experience the world in the footprints of others. Don’t have the time or means? At least experience a little piece of it through the music available online. Check out local punk bands, like Broadcast Zero or Life in Vacuum, go to their websites, and listen to their music. Don’t worry, it’s all out there on the internet ready for you to find. To get your journey into KW punk rock started check out www.myspace.com/ broadcastzero or www.myspace. com/lifeinvacuum. dostafichuk@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
14
Clock Tower — Friday, November 20, 2009
tick tocks
Anime
Stage
Waterloo Festival for animated cinema Friday November 20, 2009
Friday Nov 20, 2009Thursday Nov 26, 2009 @The Gig Theatre Thursday Nov 19, 2009 • Mary and Max (PG), 7:00 p.m.
Friday Nov 20, 2009 • Alisa’s Birthday (PG), 7:00 p.m.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat —— Centre in the Square —— $32 – $47 —— 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Lost and Found Theatre Presents: As You Like It —— Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts —— $10.00 —— 8:00 p.m.
• First Squad: The Moment of Truth (A), 9:00 p.m. • Boogie the Oily One Cova (R), 11:30 p.m.
Saturday Nov 21 2009
Live Stand up Comedy - Sugar Sammy —— The Bombshelter —— $8 UW Advance, $10 otherwise —— 8:30 p.m.
• Fedot the Hunter (PG),12:30p.m. • Laughter & Grief by the White Sea (PG), 2:30 p.m. •The Little Tiger on the Sun flower (PG) 2:30 p.m. • Brendan and the Secret of Kells (PG) , 4:00 p.m. • Immigrants (AA) 7:00 p.m. • Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not)
The Government Inspector —— Theatre of the Arts (ML) —— 8:00 p.m. As You Like It —— King Street Theatre —— $10 —— 8 p.m.
Advance (AA) 9:00 p.m. • Panic in the Village (R) 11:30 pm
Sunday Nov 22, 2009 • The Cat Who Walked By Herself (PG) 2:30p.m. • The Elephant and the Pug (PG) 2:30 p.m. • The Stolen Sun (PG) 2:30 p.m. • The Lost Letter (PG) 2:30 p.m. • Musashi: the Dream of the Last Samurai (AA) 3:30 p.m. For more information visist: • http://www.wfac.ca/films
Saturday November 21
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat —— Centre in the Square —— $32 – $47 —— 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Lost and Found Theater Presents: As You Like It —— Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts —— $10.00 —— 8:00 p.m.
November 21 ctnd.
Robin Hood Pantomime —— Jacob’s Country Playhouse —— $32 —— 2 p.m. The Government Inspector —— Theatre of the Arts (ML) —— 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday November 24
Best Of The TV Shows You Love On The Big Screen —— Vinyl: TeleTuesdays Avenue Q —— Centre in the Square —— $49 and up —— 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday November 25
Avenue Q —— Centre in the Square —— $49 and up —— 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday November 26
Avenue Q —— Centre in the Square —— $49 and up —— 7:30 p.m.
Monday November 30
Comedy for Community Improv —— Kitchener Public Library —— 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 20, 2009 — Arts and Entertainment
15
Midterms minies (T.V. show reviews)
The Big Bang Theory Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady CBS
C
huck Lorre, creator of Two and a Half Men, brings us The Big Bang Theory, a series featuring three physicists, one engineer and a ‘dumb’ blonde provides us with much needed comical relief to the life of university students.
Criminal Minds Jeff Davis CBS
S
ince it's premiere in late 2005, Criminal Minds has been one of my favourite shows on television. It took the old concept crime and drama shows and left them behind, completely rebranding itself within the genre. Now, four years later, it is still one of the only shows I follow week
After being forced to do page after page of homework, this show provides us with a breather, while still feeling as though we are doing something productive. We are bombarded with a wide variety of scientific principles, and even if we don’t know what they are talking, we can pretend that we are learning something. Although many of the scientific principals are beyond most of us, we can relish in the fact that Penny (Kaley Cuoco), the previously mentioned ‘dumb’ blonde doesn’t understand most of it either. Although not actually dumb, upon encountering Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), she is stunned by their intelligence and Sheldon’s inability to understand the human race. Sheldon’s naivety and social awkwardness provides much of the shows laughs. From his experience with the flu, trip to the grocery store, and other
mundane activities that we lowlives take for granted we are taken into the world of the small town Texan who at the age of 13 built a nuclear reactor in his shed. Sheldon, Leonard, and their two friends Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), provide the audience of a glimpse into the life of a stereotypical nerd. Howard, is in a constant search for a woman who will complete him, however he has learnt everything about how to pick up women from the internet, which of course is wrong most the time. Rajesh on the other hand, is completely unable to speak when a woman is in the room. He also is an untraditional Indian who loves America, since they have buffets that don’t have Indian food. Leonard is the normal one of the group, although seeing the others it’s not hard to imagine,
although still a full-fledged nerd, he is able to understand some social situations, some being the key word. The series not only encompasses the humour needed to help us relax from our studies but also provides those sappy individuals with a romance to die for: Leonard and Penny, the beauty and the geek. Leonard, who has always had feelings for the beautiful Penny, is constantly pushed over for the handsome jerks of the world, which seem to fit right into Penny’s life. Throughout the series we see a growing romance on both of their sides, towards what I hope will ultimately be a happy ending for the two of them. All in all The Big Bang Theory is definitely a show worth watching, even if you aren’t a physics major.
to week and watch without fail. Based on previous crime shows, Criminal Minds is a procedural show with a different story line each week. It follows a group of behavioural analysts from Quantico who travel the country to help catch serial criminals. This show, however, is largely based on the psychology behind the crime, the reason the unsub(unknown subject) is doing what he/she is doing and predicting what they are going to do next. The setup of the show has meant that sometimes those trying to solve the crime are more psychic than intelligent, but for the most part they make logical assumptions and leaps forward through the storyline. The plot is overall well structured and designed to keep the show on air for a long time. Though the story lines change week to week, many of the episodes are interrelated. There are a few central arcs that are followed throughout the series and others that come and go but are
always intertwined with the crime they are currently investigating. The most fascinating part of the show for me is the relationship the characters have with each other. Every character has a distinctly different personality, one is the genius, one the good looking jock, another the leader, they're all different, and they all have their own unique sets of relationships with each other. Although some characters have been replaced throughout the four seasons, most have stayed, and watching their evolution has been fascinating, and sometimes confusing. One thing the writers did, in an apparent attempt to eliminate the speciality of each individual and make the group a more cohesive team, is to move people into roles they shouldn't be in. J.J. (A.J. Cook) started the series off as the one in charge of media relations, and though she continues in that role, she also carries a gun and storms building now, a definite shift from before.
The great plot lines and character arcs on this show are all solidified by the fact that the acting is also wonderful. Featuring actors such as Shemar Moore(The Young and the Restless), Joe Mantegna(Joan of Arcadia), Matthew Gray Gubler(500 Days of Summer) and Canada's own A.J. Cook(Higher Ground) the chemistry is just right and the dialogue believable. It's rare that an ensemble cast is put together this well, but this show managed to do it. Even for those who aren't fans of the crime drama genre, this series may prove to be a nice relief from CSI and Law and Order. With a different focus, and a different approach to characterization and reality, Criminal Minds manages to carve a niche all it's own within a genre that struggles to achieve anything new.
— Deanna Ostafichuk
— Paula Trelinska
Midterms minies (T.V. show reviews)
T
Heroes Tim Kring NBC
abilities and the memories he has that do not seem to be his. Samuel, who also starred in Prison Break, has decided to add Silar to his family but soon enough, he realizes that this is not the man he had heard so many tales of. While he tries to do everything to make Silar remember who he really is, he keeps himself busy by looking for more people to add to his family and contemplating whether or not adopting Silar would bring more evil than good upon his family. Silar’s
“consciousness” however, is set out to haunt Matt until he gives him back his body which doesn’t seem entirely possible with the way things are going. Mr Bennet is set out on a brand new path of actually helping people and not just brainwashing them to forget they had abilities. Clair is also in search of a new beginning as she begins college with hope for a brand new start but it doesn’t quite turn out that way.
ful relationship. The women are slowly introduced to their powers as witches, which they naturally overlook as coincidence. Up until the most recent episode, none of the women perused their powers. But classic folk-lore witchcraft isn`t the only thing Eastwick has offers; fans of the original movie need see, Eastwick follows up on its prequal`s characters. Not only are the original witches featured, but the seductive male witch antagonist, Darryl Van Horn
is once again alive. True to his name, Horn being the devil that he is, adds deception, humour and sexual tension. The show is sassy, sexy, and just plain awesome. It holds all the charming elements of the town mystery genre from Desperate House Wife, and unlike Charmed, it does not overload on magic and deus ex machina. I was hooked by the first quarter of the first episode.
ear How I Met Your Mother viewers, I regret to inform you that the show that singlehandedly brought back the term ‘awesome’ to our vocabularies, (in copious quantities I might add) has lost its status of well… awesomeness. This fall marks the fifth season of How I Met Your Mother, and at this rate
hopefully its last. The season is already six episodes in, and is apparently getting progressively worse. The main cause of this season’s dive can be found in the show’s deviation from its title, which coincidently, is also the plot. Ted is no closer to revealing to his children how he met their mother than he was four seasons ago. In previous seasons, the tangents that consisted of Ted’s friends’ lives were highly entertaining,
yet the overall lack of character progression has resulted in a failure to peak interest. This flaw does not allow the actors to bring anything new to the characters, which is digging How I Met Your Mother a grave in the already crowded cemetery of mindless sitcoms. I’d be willing to slap bet that even Barney couldn’t use promiscuous sex to get How I Met Your Mother out of this mess.
roommate and Dan’s new girlfriend. Georgina is back with her usual brutal self to pay back Blair for all the wrong she did to her in the last season. Although it looked like Blair was finally going to be taught a pretty good lesson, Georgie had to spoil it with one of her evil schemes which give Blair who is Queen in dirty games, the upper hand and succeeds in taking her out of the picture- For good I hope. On the other hand, Chuck hasn’t been his
normal “I Am Chuck Bass” self lately since trying to balance his relationship with Blair and making a name for himself other than the one his father left behind. He isn’t the only one seeking to prove a point; Serena deferred her admission to college with the hopes of fending for herself by getting a job without her mother’s influence. Even though Serena understands what it is like to try to make someone believe in her, she doesn’t know how
to apply the idea when it comes to Carter, her new found love interest. He tries to tell her to stop looking for “excuses to bail” but to at least give him a chance to prove himself but she never really does that and it eventually pushes him away. There hasn’t been a lot of the usual drama and intensity but we could keep our fingers crossed because something interesting might come up soon.
his action packed series is back again with a new season. If you are into the ‘super hero fighting crime’ shows, you would really love this one. Silar, the evil mastermind, has been hypnotized to think that he is Nathan Petrelli (in both body and mind), meanwhile the real Nathan is dead (or so we are made to believe). Silar is still going around thinking that he is Nathan but does not understand his new found Eastwick Maggie Friedman
ABC
D
esperate House Wives meets Charmed with Maggie Friedman's latest project, Eastwick, a T.V. series sequel based on the movie The Witches of Eastwick. Eastwick follows three empowered female leads who finds one another in a small town as they bond and form a power-
How I Met Your Mother Craig Thomas, Carter Bays CBS
D
Gossip Girl: Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage The CW
S
eason 3 of Gossip Girl is back with a brilliant addition of Hilary Duff, as Vanessa’s
— Sotonye Thompson
— Dinh Nguyen
— Felicia Rahaman
— Sotonye Thompson