Connecting UW to the local community through
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Cl ck Tower
February 12, 2010 issue 3
Affordable Fine Dining?
Expanding Valentine’s Day Options
Where Science Meets Art
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Clock Tower — Friday, February 12, 2010
IMPRINT The University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
Cl ck Tower Friday, February 12, 2010 Issue 3 Student Life Centre, Room 1116 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800 http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Tick Tocks: local event guide..........................3,10,16 Puala Trelinska & Sarah Rogella
ClockTower Editor
F rom ClockTower with Love..................................4,5 Sarah Rogalla
Dinh Nguyen
ClockTower Assistant
Beyond the Cupboards: Caribbean Cuisine..............6,7
Michael Chung
Dinh Nguyen & Deanna Ostafichuk
Imprint EIC Michael L. Davenport
A Place Near you: photo display............................8,9 Michael Chung
Production Staff
Dinh Nguyen Michael Chung Paula Trelinska Steve Cutler Alcina Wong Deanna Ostafichuk Sarah Rogalla Lauren Strybos (cupcakes)
Graphics Team Alcina Wong
Development Team Dinh Nguyen Paula Trelinska Deanna Ostafichuk Sarah Rogalla Steve Cutler Michael Chung Erin Oldynski Nathan Snelgrove Michael Shao Ariel Fernandez
Layout and design Dinh Nguyen Michael Chung
ClockTower Cover Steve Cutler
Interview with The Urban Monks..................11,12,13 Nathan Snelgrove
Hackerspace: Where Art Meets Science.............14,15 Erin Old ynski
I
n the December 4, 2009 issue of ClockTower I wrote a letter inviting you, the readers to further the development of the magazine insert by offering feedback. Thank you to the many people who took the time to do so. Though there were many praises, the most common criticisms were the quality of print paper and the limited amount of content. Currently, for various reasons, there is not much we can do about the quality of paper ClockTower is printed on, but there have been talks of eventually being able to. As for the second concern, not only is the Imprint Arts and Entertainment Team working to increase content count in each issue, but we are also working to improve the quality of that con-
tent to make it even more relevant to students. In this issue alone we have eliminated the T.V shows and DVD reviews to make room for more local reporting. Also, some page layouts has been redesigned to make the content stand out. Though it may seem like there aren’t as many event listing pages as before, it is simply an illusion. Some elements of the event page has been changed to make it more readable, as well the listings has become cleanly compacted so that there is more information on each page. If all goes well, we will be publishing two more issues of ClockTower this term. And since ClockTower is always developing, as always, we would like to invite you to send in feedback and letters to the editor. By doing so we hope to create a forum of discussion
and discourse. After all, what is art without community? Dinh Nguyen Arts and Entertainment Editor
Arts and Entertainment
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cont’d on page 10
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Music Friday, February 12 I.R.I.S. PRESENTS: THE STARS HERE CD RELEASE PARTY Boathouse 10 p.m. $5, $10 with CD
Thursday, February 18
Thursday, February 25
Tuesday, March 2
K-OS Starlight 9 p.m. $25 in advance
PAT ROBITAILLE, THE DONEFORS Maxwell’s Music House 8 p.m. $8 at door
OPEN MIC NIGHT Maxwell’s Music House No cover
NORTHERN SOUNDS AND CHAMPAGNE SOCIAL CLUB Maxwell’s Music House
Friday, February 26
WEDNESDAY, March 3
KWS POPS: CLASSIC SONGS OF LOVE Friday, February 19 Centre In The Square 8 p.m. LITTLE SUNDAY, LOW LEVEL FLIGHT AND SEA TO SKY BEHIND THE MILK WITH DJ CHARLES Maxwell’s Music House Starlight 9 p.m. 10 p.m. $5 with Watcard $5 cover after 11 p.m. QUASAR SAXIOGIBE QUARTET KW Music Room 8p.m. $15 cover after 11 p.m.
Saturday, February 13 GLOBAL WARMING Starlight 10 p.m. No Cover
Monday, February 15 DANNY MICHEL Jane Bond 8 p.m. $12 in advance
Tuesday, February 16 OPEN MIC NIGHT Maxwell’s Music House No cover OPEN STAGE Boathouse 8 p.m. K-OS Starlight 9 p.m. $25 in advance
BAD, BONG WATER AND BOYS Boathouse 9 p.m. $2 BEHIND THE MILK WITH DJ CHARLES Starlight 10 p.m. $5 cover after 11 p.m.
RADIO LAURIER PRESENTS: COMMON- BASS LIONS: CD RELEASE PARTY WITH VALE, FOLLOW THE FLEET THE MONSTER SHOW Maxwell’s Music House Maxwell’s Music House 9 p.m. $5 at door BUSTED FLAT Boathouse $5 KWS POPS: ITALIAN JOURNEY Centre In The Square 8 p.m. BEHIND THE MILK WITH DJ CHARLES Starlight 10 p.m. $5 cover after 11 p.m.
BEHIND THE MILK WITH DJ CHARLES Starlight 10 p.m. $5 cover after 11 p.m.
Movies @ Princess Twin
Saturday, February 27
Saturday, February 13
BRAIN MACMILLAN, CRUSH LUTHER Maxwell’s Music House 9 p.m. $5 with Watcard
STEREO GOES STELLAR, THE LESSION, AND MICHOU Maxwell’s Music House 9 p.m. $5
L’ELISIR D’AMORE: OPERA IN HD 10 :30 a.m.
GLOBAL WARMING Starlight 10 p.m. No Cover
KWS POPS: ANIMALS! Centre In The Square 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 20
BENNY BENASSI Tabu Nightclub 11 p.m.
Sunday, February 21 MISS ANGEL AND THE HOMEWREACKERS Boathouse 3 p.m. DUSTIN JONES AND THE RISING TIDE Boathouse 9 p.m.
KWS POPS: ITALIAN JOURNEY Centre In The Square 8 p.m. GLOBAL WARMING Starlight 10 p.m. No Cover
Sunday, February 28
Tuesday, February 2316 OPEN MIC NIGHT Maxwell’s Music House No cover
Saturday, February 17 MOVIES FOR MOMMIES: CRAZY HEART 1 p..m., December 5
Saturday, February 28 TOONS FOR TODDLERS 10 :30 a.m, Dec
Sunday, December 6 @ Princess Cinema FRIDAY, February 12
MISS ANGEL AND THE HOMEWREACKERS Boathouse 3 p.m.
ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 4:40 p.m.
MONDAY, MARCH 1
CHERRY BLOSSOMS - HEART MATTERS FLIM SCREENING (PG) 7 p.m.
WEAK SIZE FISH Maxwell’s Music House
ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 9 p.m.
Wednesday. February 17 K-OS Starlight 9 p.m. $25 in advance
THRUSDAY, March 4
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From ClockTower with Love
From left to right: Vanessa Martin and Reagan Cook Sarah Rogalla reporter
V
alentine’s Day is definitely a day for making reservations and pre-ordering as there will be many other people wanting the same things as you do for your sweetheart. You only have two choices for this Valentine’s Day. The first is staying in and the second is going
out. Now that you have that figured out you have two more choices the first to have a fun outgoing day and the second is to have a more subdued romantic night (it is possible to do both). Alright now here are some more choices: Staying in Making a nice meal would be a wonderful idea, there are numerous
Photo by Steve Cutler
websites, like Canadian Living, that can help you out along the way, as well as the cooking channel. Being able to see someone make a meal always makes it easier, another good thing YouTube is good for. Salads are a simple way of making a dinner fancy, using mixed greens, adding sunflower seeds and garnishing with a strawberry will make it look great. Having wine with your dinner is nice as well, if you are of
age. Don’t be afraid to ask the employees at the LCBO what they think would go well with your meal. Usually white wines go well with fish and chicken while red goes well with pastas and dark meats. The Staff are great help for keeping everything within budget as well. If you have trouble choosing music for your meal a great website is www.musicovery.com, where
Arts and Entertainment
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Steve Cutler
you can choose the mood, genre and era of music you prefer. Personally, for a romantic dinner I find a positive, calm jazz to be just what is needed. For dessert, the city will be able to help you out. There are many affordable pastry and chocolate shops in the area that will have Valentine’s Day specials, such as the French shop Sablétine. Here they offer a special of four croissants (two chocolate and two butter), a cake for two, and your choice of truffles or chocolate covered strawberries for $24. Do note that this deal needs to be ordered in advance. Giving flowers may seem a bit expected and overdone but it’s not. A flower can be kept for days, which will let your loved one have a symbol of how much you care about them. Beware, the price for roses tends to skyrocket around this time. There are some places that are relatively well priced like Sobey’s as well as Vincenzo’s. There are also high end places scattered around town, like Lilies White Flower & Gift Shop, Raymond’s Flower Shop, I.C. Flowers, and Hearts & Flowers at Westmount. If you’re on a budget or time constraint then you can ask for the disgardedro-
ses (some get bruised or cut too short) and spread the petals on the table. Don`t be restricted to just the table, they also float very well in water. (A cautionary note to math students: remove stems and thorns as they do not float and will put a real damper on the evening). Again remember to pre-order them, otherwise there will be a very long wait, which may turn out to be fruitless. After dinner is finished and the two of you are still wanting to stay in, renting a movie can be very romantic and can initiate some cuddling. Jumbo Video has a section devoted to Valentine’s Day. This allows you to have a wider selection of films rather than being forced into seeing only what is in the theatres. Going for a walk under the stars can be perfect too with the two of you huddled together as walking through the snowy streets. Going out Waterloo has a number of incredible restaurants. Unfortunately they can quickly become expensive for students. For a romantic atmosphere with excellent value for your buck, Ennio’s along King st. is a perfect
place to go. The Rain Tree in the Phil`s Plaza also has a great atmosphere of its own and isn’t very expensive. The Keg, just down from Ennio’s, can get a bit more expensive. Nevertheless, it is a wonderful place to have a fancy meal that won’t break your wallet. For a spicy night there’s Masala Bay, Thai Sun and Pho Ben Thanh (a very inexpensive place that is always satisfying). There is also the Princess Café, where the two of you can have a starter, main course, dessert, coffee and a movie for $20 each. There are many places for deserts and coffee in the area, especially in Uptown Waterloo. There are places like Symposium with their delectable cakes, A Matter of Taste with the second best coffee in Ontario (it’s a must try if you haven’t already) and Café 1842. There is also Williams, Bubble Tease and Booster Juice near campus for drinks. Afterwards the two of you can go for an evening stroll along the boardwalk in Waterloo Park, go stargazing, or see a movie at the Princess or Galaxy. Instead of Dancing With the Stars you could be skating under them with your star in Waterloo Town Square or Kitchener City Hall.
What to do during the day? If you are looking for a unique romantic date during the day, the Wings of Paradise Butterfly Conservatory in Cambridge can be magical. There is also cross country skiing available in Laurel Creek, where they rent all of the equipment that you’ll need for $12. If you have never done it before, there are lessons on the previous Sunday and Wednesday at Bechtel Park between 11am-2pm. If you feel like being a bit more artistic, there is improv at the Button Factory at 4pm for a small fee. There are also drum circles there every other Sunday from 7:30-9:30 for $2, but you need to bring your own drum. The two of you could also spend the afternoon at Mudworx painting a piece of pottery for one another, or pay a visit to the Canadian Clay and Glass Museum in Uptown Waterloo. There is also a play happening in Elmira called Moonlight & Magnolias for an easy price of $18. More active things to do could including rock climbing, bowling, mini putt, snowboarding, and hiking along the beautiful Elora Gorge. Don’t forget there are always the regular bars and clubs in the area.
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Clock Tower
Beyond the cupboards
Zooming to Thailand
B
Northern Thai 95 Queen Street South
Kitchener ON
519-745-4451
Business Hour Mondays 11 a.m. to 9p.m.
Tuesdays to Fridays 11 a.m. to 10 p.m Saturdays 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. photos by Dinh Nguyen
eing of East Asian decent, and being extremely selective when it comes to food quality, I rarely have Asian food while dining out. I hold all East Asian cuisine higher standards, and so on the few occasions that I do dine Asian, I am usually disappointed. Fortunately for me, Northern Thai has points north on the food meter. The family business that first made its debut as a reservation-only fine dining restaurant in 1997, has since changed its direction to become more affordable and accessible to the larger public’s taste buds. Though Northern Thai has altered their recipes and food presentation to better gear to the Americanized East Asian food scene, they still maintain authentic Thai flavour in their food. The only difference is that now, the spicy and umami levels of their dishes has significantly decreased, and broccoli, carrots, cauliflowers and long beans have been added to many dishes. MSG is no longer used and fish sauce, and nuts can be left out if requested. The price per dish is no longer $16 to $20, but $4 to $8 for appetizers and dessert, and $10 to $14 for main dishes. At first glance lack of organization, stretched pictures, and silly phrases like “zooming to Thailand,” which all appear on their menu, frame the restaurant to be unpromising. This sets the mood for diners to be adequately impressed when tasting the actual food. The Tom Yum (lemon grass) soup and the Tom Kha Gai (coconut chicken soup) is fully seasoned in a mixture of Thai spices (including chilli peppers, green onions, and lemon grass) and vegetables. These soups are served hot and they leave a tingling mild spicy aftertaste in the throat — ideal to have when experiencing symptoms of colds. The coconut shrimp comes in six and is served on a bed of crunchy vermicelli. Unlike most places, they are not soggy but are crispy and filled with a coconut aroma and flavour. The shrimps are cleanly gutted and are decently large, ear sized. The mango and papaya salad are made fresh, and are served with a tangy refreshing
Thai fish sauce dressing. They are topped with crushed peanuts and full cashews and are arranged to look vibrantly colourful. New fruits are prepared with each salad order, a which give the dishes their colour. Perhaps the one thing that makes Northern Thai stand out from most Thai restaurants in the tri-citiy area is their use of fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch recipes. Unlike Ben Thanh all their main dishes are prepared with store-bought not frozen vegetables. The main dishes come in large portions and, with the appetizer, are sometimes too much for one person to eat. If you order an appetizer and plan to indulge on dessert, it is wise to set some food aside to take home. Northern Thai offers a variety of seafood, curry, stir-fry and noodle dishes for their main courses. The curries are often made from the same savoury base, and from there, different spices are added to create different dishes. I recommend ordering jasmine rice on the side for a more authentic East Asian dining experience. I also recommend the basil beef curry which has a subtly sweet, yet meaty taste to it. The Pad Thai, like most of Northern Thai’s noodle dishes, is available in five levels of spiciness. The noodles are not overcooked, and there is a hint of sweet ketchup in it, which complements the spiciness (usually I would be disgusted with the thought of putting ketchup into Asian food, but in this case, it works). The drink menu consists of a small variety of beer, including Corona and Shenga (a Thai beer), and an assortment of wines, teas and soft drinks. When asked for about the most Thai cuisine inspired beverage they had, I was introduced to a Thai iced coffee. It was nothing special. The iced coffee tasted like any other iced coffee, but made with a hint of condensed milk. Northern Thai’s drink menu was not impressive, but there is one redeeming factor: The teas (including green and ginger) and water were listed as free. Out of everything on their menu,
Friday, February 12, 2010 — Arts and Entertainment Out of everything on their menu, one thing will keep me coming back to Northern Thai: their mango sticky rice dessert. If you have had Ben Thanh’s sticky rice and thought it was heavenly, be prepared to try true decadence. The mango sticky rice here is prepared the same way as it is at Spring Rolls (sticky rice and mango are separated) but it is far more complex. Unlike Ben Thanh or Spring Rolls, Northern Thai’s sticky rice is infused with a light dash of coconut syrup and does not include coconut milk. The mango is put on top of a thin layer of honey and is brushed with a hint of coconut sugar syrup. The rice is served hot and is somewhat mushy, while the mango is cool. It is not too ripe and still has the slightly sweet and sour crunch. Though no eating instructions are provided, taking one bite of the hot rice and then washing it down with a cool piece of mango afterwards, allows diners to not get tired of the dish and interact with their food through the sense of feeling as well as taste. The mango in itself is a must try experience, this is the true definition of sensational. Even when my stomach is on the verge of hurting from too much food, the mango sticky rice is easily worth the pain, and is easily one you’ll indulge in out habit right after the first few bites. Northern Thai is one of those places that is relaxed . The dining area is narrow but long, and there is always calming Thai music playing. If you plan on visiting, I suggest going for dinner. The lunch hour is far too busy, but at dinner, there will be two or three tables filled at most. It is the perfect place for a business meeting, intimate encounter, or date. The manager and staff are positive and lively. During my first visit, friendly conversations with the chef, waiter, and store owner easily made Northern Thai a highlight in my book. — Dinh Nguyen
Beyond the Cupboard food reviews are based on anonymous and unannounced visits. Reviewers are not endorsed by the restaurants.
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The making of Pad Thai Deanna Ostafichuk staff reporter
W
hen eating a traditional Thai meal, one would most likely be served either one dish, or rice accompanied with a number of complementary dishes all at once. Meals are often served with a large number of sauces and condiments, such as phrik nam pla, made of fish sauce, chilies and garlic. For the most part, the dishes would always be complementary and contrasting, in both ingredients and methods of preparation. Often to wash away the spicy flavour of many of the dishes, cucumber would be eaten. To cool down the flavour, plain or sticky rice, or rice noodles could be eaten alongside the dish. One thing that most people would assume is that the Thai people typically eat with chopsticks like their neighbours in China and Japan. However Thailand has had the fork for over 80 years, although not used in the same fashion as us. They use their forks to push food into the spoon, which is then brought to the mouth.The only time that chopsticks are used is when eating noodle soup, and are otherwise left untouched. Pad Thai, which has been called “The Na-
tional Dish of Thailand,” can be translated to Thai style stir fry. A dish which is not commonly found cooking in the home kitchens of Thailand, is likely to be bought for lunch, dinner or a late night option, from street vendors or restaurants. Featuring the contrasting flavours and textures present in Thai cuisine, is sweet, sour, and salty, as well as being soft and crunchy. From the days when Pad Thai was brought to the ancient Thai capital by Vietnamese traders, it has evolved to the Pad Thai that is available almost everywhere in the world. In the 1930s and 1940s the prime minster of Thailand launched a campaign to reduce the consumption of rice, as a result of the country’s dependence on rice exports. A noodle-based dish would clearly be favourable to this campaign, as such the Thai government started to educate the poor of their country in the production of rice noodles. Following World War II, the government promoted making a living producing rice noodles and operating noodle shops, this spurred not only the popularity of rice noodles but as well as Pad Thai. Throughout the ages, Pad Thai has lived on and invaded the rest of the world. dostafichuk@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Authentic Pad-Thai • 2/3 cup chicken stock • 1/4 cup fish sauce • 2 tbsp cornstarch • 2 tbsp lime juice • 4 tsp vegetable oil • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced • 1 sweet red pepper, sliced • 1 tbsp minced gingerroot • 2 green onions, sliced
1.
• 1/2 cup ketchup • 2 tbsp (granulated sugar • 1 tsp grated lime rind • 1 tsp hot pepper sauce • 2 eggs, lightly beaten • 4 carrots, thinly sliced • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 2 cups bean sprouts • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
In large bowl, soak noodles in warm water for 20 minutes; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together stock, ketchup, fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch, lime rind and juice and hot pepper sauce; set aside. 2. In wok or large skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium heat; cook eggs, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until scrambled and set. Transfer to plate. Wipe out wok; add remaining oil. Brown chicken, in batches, over medium-high heat. Transfer to separate plate. 3. Add carrots, red pepper, garlic and ginger to pan; cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Add noodles; stir gently for 1 minute. Return chicken to pan. Stir sauce and pour into pan; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until thickened, noodles are tender and chicken is no longer pink inside. 4. Return egg mixture to wok along with bean sprouts; toss gently for 1 minute or until heated through. Serve sprinkled with green onions and peanuts.
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Photos by Michael Chung
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The historic diesel engine number 1556 passenger train remains parked next to the Waterloo Central Railway Visitor and Heritage Informa-
PLACE
Neatly ordered Prairie grass blows in the wind near one of the two Seagram Distillery buildings near Uptown
NEAR Main entrance of the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery near Uptown Waterloo.
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YOU
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Movies (cont`d) SATURDAY, February 13 (cont`d) LA DONATION 5 p.m. ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 7 p.m. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (PG) 9:20 p.m.
Sunday, February 14 TWILIGHT: NEW MOON (PG) 2:05 p.m. ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 4 p.m. LA DONATION 7 p.m. TWILIGHT: NEW MOON (PG) 9 p.m.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15 LA DONATION 5 p.m. ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 7 p.m. TWILIGHT: NEW MOON (PG) 9:20 p.m.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (14A) 6:45 p.m. ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 9:25 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 7 p.m. INSIDE HANA’S SUITCASE (PG) 9:20 p.m.
cont’d on page 16 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Tuesday, February 23
Monday, March 1
ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 7 p.m.
ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 7 p.m.
THE WHITE RIBBON 6:45 p.m.
INSIDE HANA’S SUITCASE (PG) 9:05 p.m.
AN EDUCATION (PG) 9 p.m.
LIVE OSCAR SHORTS 2010 9:35 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19
WEDNESDAY, February 24
Tuesday, March 2
ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FLIMS 2010 7 p.m.
ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 1:30 p.m.
THE WHITE RIBBON 6:45 p.m.
HARYY MANX - LIVE ON STAGE 7 p..m.
LIVE OSCAR SHORTS 2010 9:35 p.m.
Thursday, February 25
WEDNESDAY, March 33
A SERIOUS MAN 7 p..m.
THE WHITE RIBBON 1:30 p.m.
ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 9:10 p.m.
LIVE OSCAR SHORTS 2010 9:05 p.m.
INSIDE HANA’S SUITCASE (PG) 9:05 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 200 ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FLIMS 2010 2 p.m. AN EDUCATION (PG) 4 p.m. ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FLIMS 2010 7 p.m.
Friday, February 26
THURSDAY, March 4
LIVE OSCAR SHORTS 2010 7:00 p.m.
THE WHITE RIBBON 1:30 p.m.
AN EDUCATION (PG) 9 p.m.
THE WHITE RIBBON 9:00 p.m.
DAVID FRANCEY - LIVE ON STAGE 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 16 SUNDAY, February 210
SATURDAY, February 27
AN EDUCTION (PG) 2 p.m.
THE WHITE RIBBON 1:45 p.m.
Theatre
ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 5 p.m.
A SERIOUS MAN 4:35 p..m.
AN EDUCATION (PG) 7 p.m. ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 9 p.m.
THE WHITE RIBBON 6:45 p.m. LIVE OSCAR SHORTS 2010 9:35 p.m.
ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 7 p.m. AN EDUCATION (PG) 9 p.m.
THE STARS HERE Registry Theatre 9 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, February 17 ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m.
Sunday, February 28 MONDAY, February 220
Friday, February 12
THE WHITE RIBBON 1:55 p.m.
MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS Elmira Theatre 8 p.m. $18
LIVE OSCAR SHORT S 2010 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, February 18
THE WHITE RIBBON 6:45 p.m LIVE OSCAR SHORTS 2010 9:35 p.m.
MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS Elmira Theatre 8 p.m. $18
Arts and Entertainment
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The Urban Monks
Nathan Snelgrove reporter
P
eter Oldrige is busy. Between doing his post-graduate studies in Social Work at Renison College, being a family man with an eighteenmonth old daughter, and taking care of his work placement, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard not to wonder where the 27-year old finds time for his band, The Urban Monks. Not only does he sing and play guitar for the outfit, but he writes the majority of the music too. see page 12
Photo Courtesy of The Urban Monks
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The Urban Monks continued from page 11
He clearly loves doing it though. And he’s excited about it these days for good reason: The Urban Monks have recently been signed onto indie label Danforth Records. They’re preparing for a new release after the success (or failure, if you ask Peter) of their 2008 debut album, The Same Light. “My success with this album and the new label is that I can make music without worrying about the business end of it now,” he said, pausing occasionally to reflect. “To have somebody else take that over is a relief to the management end, because I’m pretty interested in being creative. If I can worry about that and somebody else can worry about the other, then that’s good. If they can make it fly as something viable and something that doesn’t make me want to kill myself because I’m going against everything I want to do with my life, then I’ll do it.” When he starts talking about recording the first tracks for the next album, his face lights up. “I want to do the production myself. I did last time, but I let some of the control go elsewhere, too. A lot of it I’m really happy with, but then there are things that I listen to that make me wince because it’s not exactly what I wanted. I’m a bit of a control freak, maybe.” He laughs nervously at this, and it’s that nervous laugh that separates Peter from the rest of the retro groups out there. His openness and his insecurities are laid bare. He’s honest and he’s earnest, and it shows in his music and in this conversation.
Tell me how The Urban Monks first started.
I was touring with an a cappella group, actually. Four guys. We did shows in schools and conferences and things like that. It was called Hoja. It was a good experience, a good way to meet people, and a good way to make money doing what I want to do. Went out for a couple years, and
I got really homesick. I was kind of lonely on the road, and it became a quasi-hostile environment with the new people that were on the road to tour with me. I had been writing quite a bit on the road and wanted to do my own thing, and something more rocking. When I came back, I just started putting together some of my songs and started doing shows. Just me and my acoustic at first. Then I started doing shows with Dave (Dave Neigh, bassist, hand claps, and background vocals) way back then, with just acoustic and a bass. It was really hilarious because he didn’t know the songs half the time When I came back I was 22 or something. I pulled all this together, continued writing, and eventually recorded five songs. It was somewhat in my basement, but gave them to somebody with awesome software so they could manipulate what I had done for beds and then add some stuff. So I took like a weekend to put together this fivesong thing that I was selling for a few bucks. I did a show in London, and had invited a few different management companies based in that area. One actually came out of the few that I asked to come, and they said that they wanted to record us and do the album. So, then I was sort of educated on how I should be doing touring and all this stuff to make it financially viable. So that kind of started this big internal struggle between trying to be responsible in terms of my responsibility to the community and the environment — to the future in general, and in terms of being successful with music. And to me, being successful was being The Beatles, so I think at that point; being happy was being The Beatles. So I’ve kind of grown up, as far as my mental process and how music is going to fit into my life and the future isn’t going to be about world domination. Like, what is that?
Photo Courtesy of The Urban Monks
Arts and Entertainment
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Photo Courtesy of The Urban Monks
Maybe it’s some sort of insecurity in front men. Michael Jackson was like that too
Yeah, it must be. I think you’re right. I think you want people to like you, and you want them to think that you’re of value. And I think that, personally, I think that will come through my talents as a musician because it’s the only thing I could really identify as something that I could contribute that would be something unique and uplift people and maybe…I guess I’m struggling with my music not being preachy. It’s not too preachy I guess, but it’s so much more refined. I’m getting that sort of message out in a much more effective way, I think. If it’s more preachy, not all the content will be like that, but the content that is will be more refined.
A lot of musicians are popular for being preachy. I mean, look at Bob Dylan or the entire punk industry which is basically just devised as an outlet to preach anti-consumerism while being a part of it. But not a mainstream part of it, really.
Bringing the message of subverting the established system to a mainstream market has been sort of my motivation moving forward.
How do you feel the Waterloo community has been treating you?
Well, I’m kind of new to this scene because I was living in Stratford for five years. Amazing city. Great place. I lived here until I was about twenty, then I was on the road with a different band, then came back. We were based out of Saskatoon, so I wasn’t here at all for those two years. I came back and moved to Stratford and…it’s just so different from Water-
loo. So far, we’ve been playing The Fox and the Fiddle here, which is enjoyable. It’s a different crowd than I’m used to. It’s lots of university people dancing. But it’s good. A lot of bars are about people who want to get laid and get loaded. I’m looking for venues that are going to have cool people that like our music. I think Maxwell’s is cool – I had a hard time because it was a weeknight and being new here…I think it’d be a different thing if we were to do it now. A lot of people that know me now would come out and support it, or people might read this article, think to check out the music and then come to a show I’m promoting.
I’ve read that the Urban Monks often get compared to the Beatles and other ’60’s groups, or Bob Dylan. I can hear some Rolling Stones in the music, too. At the same time though, it’s irritating to be compared to people who came before you. What do you feel separates The Urban Monks from being just another retro-themed group?
Well, I think that it’s hard to separate yourself from what’s come before because there’s not really much new under the sun in a lot of ways. There are only so many chords to throw together and you want to do it in a way that people will identify with. What makes us different, I guess, is just…the songs aren’t necessarily anything different in the sense that they generally follow a structure that is familiar to people, but hopefully the melodic content diverts enough from what people expect. I don’t think we deviate tremendously from the norm of bands – and I know you’re supposed to say “We’re different because of this or that,” but I don’t think we’re that much different. Maybe the difference is in
the earnestness. I do think I have a pretty good ability to think up hooks that aren’t direct rip-offs of something and then putting instrumentation around it that complements it nicely.
The Same Light was released in 2008. You were played on the UW station and reached number one, and you were on CBC Radio. Do you feel the album should have done better than it did, or are you very proud of its success so far?
Well, it’s part of the past. We’re talking about re-doing some of those tracks because I think there’s a lot of value in some of those songs. Maybe doing some things with the production, or taking it right from the start again. Maybe doing it in a different manner. We might re-tool it. I think it failed to lack of promotion by the old label. Hence the new label, which I’m really happy with. The strategies I’ve seen are great.
When you’re working on new material for The Urban Monks, are you looking at doing something that is more just about your intuition and less about rules?
Definitely. I think that the next album – we’re just doing bed tracks now – I still have this thing in my head to make it marketable. There’s this businessman in my head sometimes. But the only thing I’m trying to market in my music is ideas about environmental sustainability. How can we live in a way that’s more humane and just? It’s about making it something that people are going to want to hear on a massive scale, with a message that’s maybe going to do something good.
Renison College will be hosting The Urban Monks and other bands at a charity concert on March 5th. Tickets’ pre-sale and at the door. Watch Imprint for more
14
Clock Tower Erin Oldynski
Hackerspace:
staff reporter
T
Where Art
Meets Science
photos Dinh Nguyen
wo laptop screens hang side by side from the ceiling, displaying a large pair of motion sensitive eyeballs that blink each time someone enters the room. The eyeballs blink rapidly now as people stream through the door of this 150 square meter warehouse space. On a recent Tuesday night, a group of about 30 people gathered inside the old Boehmer Box Factory on the corner of Duke and Breithaupt Streets in Kitchener. They came to take part in the 5 + 5 event, in which five local artists and five Kwartzlab makers talk about their work for five minutes each. Ask anyone here tonight what Kwartzlab is and you’ll get an array of answers, each of which point to a similar idea. “It’s a community workshop,” said UW student and Kwartzlab member Alex Williams. “It’s a smorgasbord of creative people,” said Kwartslab member Darin White. Or according to another member, Gus Gissing, “It’s a temporal, spatial anomaly that you pay money to be in.” In any case, the history of how Kwartzlab came about is somewhat less ambiguous. It all started when local entrepreneur Michael Hiemstra put out a call for a hackerspace on his website in March 2009. Hiemstra had already founded the group Make:KW, which is a collective of people who make things. One might reasonably ask, what exactly do the members of Make:KW make? According to their website, “We’re builders, artists, tinkerers, crafters. We knit, we sew, we hack and tweak, we recycle, we build robots that help build more robots. We create. We make.” The hackerspace that Hiemstra envisioned was to be a physical space for interested makers to meet up, collaborate on projects, and reach out to the community.
Arts and Entertainment In Hiemstra’s call for a hackerspace, he referred to the following definition: “A hackerspace is an interdisciplinary community for learning, teaching, and creating. Instead of starting with a defined range of projects or programming, a hackerspace is driven by its members. It is a place where members have the infrastructure and resources to work on projects that interest them. Hackerspaces promote people to be hackers in the broadest sense: to learn all they can about the fields that interest them, explore their bounds, and create new and interesting ways to apply that knowledge.” The idea quickly caught on. Just a few weeks after Hiemstra put out his call for a hackerspace, over 25 people met up to discuss how to make it happen. Soon after, a steering committee was formed to oversee the details of setting up the hackerspace. In July, Kwartzlab split from Make:KW to form a separate entity. With 22 paying members and $3,000 in the bank, the group was well on its way to leasing a physical space. After considering a few different locations, Kwartzlab members decided on its current space in the old Boehmer Box Factory. They signed the lease in August and worked on renovations for the next two months. On October 16, 2009 Kwartzlab held its first open lab night. The hackerspace had come to fruition, but it was still in its beginning stages. Events like 5 + 5 are intended to introduce more people to the space and to further diversify Kwartzlab’s member. According to Darin White, “The goal of 5 + 5 is to broaden our tech-heavy population and to diversify. When you get a robotist talking with a painter, new things happen.” Tonight’s 5 + 5 makers include a cement sculptor, a computer engineering and music student, a former software developer who is now
15 a photographer, a painter, a robot maker, and a sculptor who uses items from the natural environment. Another way that Kwartzlab members are trying to diversify the physical space that it occupies is by bringing more art into it. “How does art impact a space?” White asks. “Why do most tech companies not have art in the workplace?” Kwartzlab members aim to answer these questions by turning their workshop into more of a gallery space. According to Kwartzlab member and computer engineering student Alex Williams, one of the most significant benefits of getting involved with Kwartzlab is that it gives members the opportunity for hands-on learning as well as access to the necessary tools. “In school, you learn the idea of computer engineering but don’t apply it. Kwartzlab provides absolutely the best way to balance theoretical knowledge and practice.” “Don’t believe in the walls they put up,” says member Gus Gissing about university education. “Don’t believe in the divisions that they create between the disciplines. In four years, you’re done and out. Don’t just confine yourself to being on campus and allowing the university to serve you what they want to serve you.” White’s feelings are similar. “Here, you’re coming to define your own projects. It’s a transformational experience, especially after four years of school. Here, you’re only limited by your imagination,” laughing he adds, “and sometimes by the hardware.” The future of Kwartzlab looks incredibly bright. As White points out, “We’re very adaptive and that’s why we persist.” Integral to the group’s success is also the no-nonsense attitude that many of its members seem to have. “It’s the philosophy of the do-ocracy,” says White, “Don’t plan, just do.” eoldynski@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Erin Oldynski
tic tocs
Theatre (cont`d) FRIDAY, February 19 ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m. MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS Elmira Theatre 8 p.m. $18
SWITCHED AT BIRTH Registry Theatre $15
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25 SWITCHED AT BIRTH Registry Theatre $15 THE MOUSETRAP KW Litte Theatre $15 ($10 for groups)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY26
SATURDAY, February 20
SWITCHED AT BIRTH Registry Theatre $15
ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m.
THE MOUSETRAP KW Little Theatre $15 ($10 for groups)
BLACKPACK SELLOUT Centre In The Square 7:30 p.m. MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS Elmira Theatre 8 p.m. $18
SUNDAY, February 21 ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m.
MONDAY, February 22 ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m.
TUESDAY, February 23 ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, February 24 SUMMER OF MY AMAZING LUCK Centre In The Square 7:30 p.m. ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY27 SWITCHED AT BIRTH Registry Theatre $15 THE MOUSETRAP KW Little Theatre $15 ($10 for groups)
Saturday, February 13
Tuesday, February 23
A Bach Travelogue Dublin St. United Church $20
Train Your Metabolism Powell Building, UofG 6:30 p.m.
MONDAY, February 15 SKATING Waterloo Public Square 4-8 p.m. Free, skates can be rented
Tuesday, February 16 Summer Camp Fair WLU University Stadium 4-8 p.m. free
Thursday, February 18 MILITARY HISTORY LECTURE SERIES Guelph Civic Museum 7:30p.m. Free
Friday, February 19 CAMBRIDGE LIBRARIES BOOK SALE Square Library, Preston Library, Hespeler Library, Clemens Mill Library $4
Saturday, February 20 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 BAROQUE DANCE PLUS Registry Theatre 3 p.m.
Miscellaneous Saturday, February 13
Chinese New Year Calvin Presbyterian Church 1:30 - 6 p.m. Free Potion Kings with the Flying Fellini Brothers Elora Legion 8:30 p.m. $25
SUNDAY, February 21
Memories of Elvis Valentine’s Dinner and Dance Maryhill Palace 6:00 p.m. dinner, 8 p.m. show $40
Improv Comedy Skills Waterloo Community Arts Centre 4-6p.m. $2
Waterloo Public Library Book Sale 131 Shoemaker St., Kitchener 8-4 p.m. $2
KITCHENER AUTO SWAP MEET AND FLEA MARKET BINGEMANS (Ballroom & Marshall Hall) 10-3 p.m. Free
CultureCamp Kitchener City Hall, rotunda 9 - 3 p.m.
Monday, February 22 Amazing Languages: Defending the World’s Linguistic Ecology Kitchener Public Library Free
Community Conversation Series Victoria Park pavilion 11:30 - 1:30 p.m. $15 Gravel Pits: A Threat to the Future of Food Kitchener Public Library 7 p.m. Free
Wednesday, February 24 Heritage Restoration: Meet the Experts Elora Centre for the Arts 6:30 p.m. $10 Producing for Video and Film Workshop Ed Video Media Arts Centre 6:30 p.m. $10
Thursday, February 25 PHILOSOPHY COLLOQUIUM Hagey Hall 373 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, February 26 EXTREME ICE RACING Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex 7:30 p.m. $20 - $35 Chinese New Year Gala Forbes Hall, RIM Park 5-12 a.m. $40 reg, $25 student, senior
Saturday, February 27 Paranormal Seminar 200 Franklin Blvd, Cambridge 1-5 p.m. $5
Monday, March 1 Religion and Technology Kitchener Public Library