Funny man, Devon Lougheed, and storyteller extraordinaire, Lizzy Karp, have joined forces to bring you Hush Hush City – an online literary soap opera composed by eight anonymous improvisers and writers.

Save for Lougheed and Karp, no one, not even the contributors themselves, knows the identities behind each character. The contributors are assigned roles and the context of a hotel, in which all the characters live, and they post as little or as often as they like, incorporating the occasional twist thrown at them from the creators and the readers.

The literary experiment starts January 1st and runs until January 31st, after which time, there will be a launch party and the identities of the contributors will be revealed. We can’t wait!

Sad Mag: Who are the two of you?

Lizzy Karp: When not fronting Vancouver’s favourite indie-band Beekeeper, Devon Lougheed is a  funny-man, thinker, writer, runner and lover of rock music (especially from the ’90s). I’m Lizzy Karp and I love stories – my involvement in Rain City Chronicles, the Vancouver Book Club and the radio show Feels Like Home are several ways I help to share them.

SM: How did you meet?

Devon Lougheed: We have lots of mutual friends, but had our first good chat at the Vancouver Is Awesome book club. We talked about how we each used to do lots of writing, but lost a supportive group of fellow writers after moving.

SM: What is Hush Hush City?

LK: Our tagline is an online, collectively-generated, anonymous, improvised writing experiment. But in practice it’s another way to connect this city’s ever-growing creative community.

SM: Is it set in Vancouver?

DL: In a way, this is up to our contributors. The official line is that Hush Hush City is not Vancouver, although other seasons have, admittedly, borrowed heavily on its neighbourhoods and geography. It’s only natural, I suppose! You’ll have to read and see!

SM: Why anonymous?

LK: Anonymity not only prevents writers from being biased or giving in to standard forms they are known for already, but it adds another layer of mystery. We hope while following Hush Hush City readers and writers will be asking themselves what Vancouverites are behind their favourite characters.

SM: What are you hoping for readers and contributors to take away from this project?

DL: For the contributors: a unique experience that challenges writers to be improvisers and improvisers to be writers. For the readers: that feeling that you get about ten minutes after drinking a triple espresso, but before the jitters set in. Oh and a little bit of fame would be nice, for all involved.

SM: What’s the end result going to be?

LK: We have no idea… and that is part of the magic! At the end we will be celebrating with writers and followers of Hush Hush City, and we’ve already got Season 4 in the works.

SM: I hear you two are good collaborators! What else are you working on together?

DL: Lizzy and I are training together for the Vancouver Marathon! 3:45, baby!

SM: What do you like best about working with each other?

LK: We share a very similar combination of creativity, inventiveness and excitement – and our American entrepreneurial genes ensure that we see the project through. It’s also been really exciting to see so many different groups of people become involved in a project together – it’s like facilitating a creative orgy without any of the messy cleanup or awkward mornings after.

SM: What do you like least about working with each other?

DL: Little known fact: Lizzy can’t do ANY work unless “Unbreak My Heart” by Toni Braxton is playing quietly in the background. I suspect she doesn’t really like my tendency to show up to meetings in spandex, but she’s been relatively nice about it.

Check out Hush Hush City, starting January 1st!

Tina Kulic is a sassy mother hen – she tells you like it is and feeds you hearty meals & wine while doing so. A regular Sad Mag contributor, Tina is a stunning photographer whose work captures an effortless warmth & sophistication.

This weekend, her work is showing alongside photographers Jamie Mann & Shane Oosterhoff – also a Sad Mag contributor, at the Eastside Cultural Crawl.

Sad Mag: How do you all know each other?

Tina Kulic: Langara Photo Program/lovers (well just two of us)!

SM: What made you decide to work together?

TK: We think think that our collections compliment each other. Our personalities also work well together.

SM: What is it you love about photography?

TK: The different variety of mediums to experiment with. For example, our show has canvas, digital prints, film prints and a lightbox. There is really no end to what you can do with photography!

SM: What do you find inspiring?

TK: Colour, texture and shape.

SM: Favourite subjects/things to photograph?

TK: For Jamie – hot models, for me – hot nudes, for Shane – hot dogs ;).

SM: Who are some favourite photographers/artists?

TK: Shane – Brian Mckinley, Scott Mcfarlane, Jamie – Tony Duran, mine – Elena Kalis.

SM: What are you day jobs?

TK: Shane is the studio manager for Jeff Wall Studios, Jamie shoots for a modelling agency, I photoshop for an architectural photography company.

SM: Why do you live in Vancouver?

TK: The ocean!

SM: Tell me a bit about the Eastside Cultural Crawl and your show!

TK: The crawl welcomes all artists. If you are established or new to the art world, there is space for everyone. As for our studio, we are showing a ton of different stuff. We have displays on canvas, double exposures, underwater photography, travel, landscapes, fashion portfolios and even “pawsh” dog portraits.

Jamie Mann, Shane Oosterhoff, & Tina Kulic
Part of the Eastside Cultural Crawl
Studio 207 – Railtown Studios
321 Railway Street
Showing:
Friday November 26th, 6:00 pm- 11:00 pm
Saturday November 27th, 11:00 am- 6:00 pm
Sunday November 28th, 11:00 am- 6:00 pm

Photographs by Damir Kulic.

Main Street Theatre is gritty, provocative, and intense. Like a rock being turned over, you cringe while your eyes are glued to the action festering underneath. In the intimate setting of Little Mountain Gallery, these productions feel startlingly real and leave you dazed with their energetic impact.

Sad Mag sat down over pints & shots with the local theatre folk to talk about their upcoming production, A Lie of the Mind, which we’re aching to see.

Sad Mag: How did Main Street Theatre start?

Daryl King: Over a few too many beers.

Josh Drebit: Daryl and Ryan were working on a show in Chemainus. Then they came to me and Bill Dow, and the rest of the team came from friends, and people whose work we respect.

SM: Why Main Street as the title?

JD: We knew the productions would be at Little Mountain Gallery and at the time we all lived and worked in the neighborhood. We also felt there were a lot of artists in the neighborhood who had no connection to theatre, and it seemed like a good time to bring theatre to this neighborhood. We had a few names involving Main Street, but this seemed the most straight forward.

DK: One of our mission statements is to do theatre in our community & really focus on the Main Street demographic.

SM: What’s the objective of Main Street Theatre?

DK: To produce great plays with an intimate feel.

JD: Generally, it’s to revive contemporary classics, and bring a new audience in to see them. Also, all of our shows are pay what you can – that’s very important to us.

SM: How do you find the theatre scene in Vancouver?

JD: I can only speak personally, but I love the Vancouver theatre scene. Like anyone I have frustrations at times  but I think the best response to that is doing your own work, and further contributing to the community. I think we have all been pretty lucky by being supported by the Van theatre scene.

SM: What are some of your inspirations?

JD: I sometimes find inspirations from other artists, but it’s usually from friends and people I meet. Bartending is good for that.

SM: What do you do outside of theatre?

DK: Work down at the docks at the Port of Vancouver. Travel.

JD: I spend a lot of time with friends and family. And any chance to check out live music, or a game and I’m pretty happy.

SM: Tell me about your upcoming show.

DK: It’s rough & it’s epic.

JD: It’s about how two families deal with with a horribly violent act.  Jake beats his wife Beth, and thinks he’s killed her. They both return to their own ridiculous families. It’s a dark play, but I think it’s very funny. Sam Sheppard is easily one of the great American playwrights.

SM: Main Street Theatre boxing?! How did I miss this fundraising event back in October? Do tell more!

JD: We literally kicked the shit out of each other and our friends to raise money. It was one of the best nights I’ve ever had. I don’t think anyone from the theatre community thought we were actually going to box.

DK: I beat the shit out of Ryan Beil & I only fought at 50%.

A Lie of the Mind
Little Mountain Gallery
Remaining Performances:
November 19 – December 4, 7:00 pm
No performances on Mondays
Call 604 992-2313 to make reservations

Photograph by Tina Kulic.

Natalie Vermeer is sugar and spice and all things nice.

Not only is this multi-talented lady a member of Vancouver indie music sweethearts, The Good News, she’s also an elementary school teacher, seller of organic goods, and maker of piñatas for Paul Anthony’s Talent Time.

Sad Mag talked with this lovely woman over milkshakes about weird transit experiences, bailing friends out, and pouring her feelings into paper mache.

Sad Mag: Where are you from?

Natalie Vermeer: Chilliwack – where many good ones are from!

SM: Valley girls represent! When did you move to Vancouver?

NV: Summer of 2003.

SM: What’s your day job?

NV: I’m an ESL/Music/P.E. Teacher/Librarian at a primary school. Also, I package raw organic snacks. I’d like to start teaching piano again once I move my piano. Just putting that out there!

SM: A Chilliwack girl and a librarian – we are two peas in a pod! Tell me, how do you know Paul Anthony?

NV: A number of summers ago, he introduced my band, The Good News, at the Railway. He told some inappropriate jokes to the crowd and then he carried my keyboard for me. He’s been a lovely friend ever since.

SM: How did you start making piñatas for Talent Time?

NV: It was the night before the first Talent Time ever and Paul didn’t have a piñata! I couldn’t believe it. So I got right on making something. I had it by a heater and hairdryer all night to try get the layers dry in time. It wasn’t even sealed up by the time the show started! But at least it had money inside!

SM: What was the first piñata you made for Talent Time?

NV: Yeah, um, so because of time constraints, the first piñata was a blue ball. Mighty desperate – I mean, creative – I mean, practical!

SM: How do you decide what the piñata should be of that month?

NV: Lately there have been themes to the shows so that totally helps. For a while it just seemed like I could do anything, so I’d get suggestions from friends when needed. My friend Ben suggested a baby so I did that for the show the mini mariachis were on. When I went through a bit of a vegan baking obsession, I made a cupcake. When I felt I shouldn’t continue an on/off relationship, I made a dead horse head. This piñata-making thing has become a great outlet for me!

SM: What’s been your weirdest piñata experience?

NV: There’s the, ahem, one of the times Paul had to hold the piñata as it broke off the rope right away and then my friend Phil smashed Paul’s face rather than the piñata. I guess that’s not weird so much as painful. How about the fact that I was never asked any questions when I was on the bus, holding a piñata [that looked like a baby] in a blanket? I’ve gotten more strange looks about a keyboard stand!

SM: Have you ever gone on stage to break any of your own piñatas?

NV: No way. It’s hard enough to witness when they don’t smash within a nice span of time. I want my piñata to succeed, as in stay on the rope long enough, but I don’t want to be any more involved with it after it’s made!

SM: What do you like best about Talent Time?

NV: It’s great for short attention spans. I love the variety and quick pace. And the enthusiastic and eclectic crowd is amazing. I’ve run into Brittany whom I met in Japan four years ago and Kim who I played in a band with years ago… you never know who you are going to see at Talent Time – on stage or in the crowd!

You can see Natalie’s latest creation at the next Paul Anthony’s Talent Time on December 1st at the Biltmore. Also, you can listen to her band, The Good News, here.

Feature photograph by Evil Patrick Shannon.

Jasper Sloan Yip will steal your heart with his luscious folk melodies. The warm swoons of his music soar with a tinge of heartache. Jasper recently performed to an enraptured audience at Sad Mag Live at The Cultch.

When I first met Jasper, we were both working “joe jobs” at a local cafe. A gentle soul, Jasper was the only chef who didn’t make me cry at one point or another. Thankfully, we’ve both moved on and he has proven that he can do more than make a mean omelette.

This week, we had a quick chat about ditzy moments, favourite musicians, and more.

Sad Mag: Tell me how you got your start in music.

Jasper Sloan Yip: I started teaching myself guitar when I was sixteen and as I got better I began recording songs at home. After two ho-hum years at university I released my first album titled White Elephant.

SM: What other talents do you have?

JSY: I’m terrific at getting lost and have a real knack for forgetting things.

SM: You grew up in Vancouver, does it influence your song writing?

JSY: I took Vancouver for granted when I was growing up. Traveling really made me wake up and pay greater attention to my home. Overall, though, other cities have influenced my writing more than the place I came from.

SM: There’s a sense of pining in many of your songs – does that stem from all of your traveling?

JSY: A lot of the songs on the album are about loss and longing and that did come from spending so much time alone in foreign places. I spend a lot of time in my own head and I’m prone to wax nostalgic. Then I get cheesy. I have to always watch out for that.

SM: Who are the members of your band?

JSY: In order of appearance we have Mark on bass/banjo/lap steel/mandolin, Stephanie on violin, Graham on drums, and John on keys.

SM: Who are some of your favourite musicians?

JSY: My favorite Vancouverite is Erica Mah. Three songwriters I really admire are Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Zach Condon of Beirut, and David Bazaan.

SM: Seen any good shows lately?

JSY: Arcade Fire was amazing, the Black Keys were tasty. I saw the dudes play for two hours at Break Out West, they put on a really good old fashioned rock and roll show.

SM: What do you hope audiences will take away from your shows?

JSY: I want them to have as much fun as I have.

SM: Any upcoming performances?

JSY: We’re playing Rain City Chronicles at the WISE Hall on November 17th, and the Biltmore on November 22nd.

Check out Jasper & his amazing band at the above mentioned shows and here.

Feature photograph by Christine McAvoy.

Luke Cyca and Devon Lougheed are a strange and wonderful combination. Individually, Cyca is a therapeutic protein molecule designer and electronics recycler and Lougheed is a doctoral candidate and comedian. Together, they are Beekeeper – an irreverent indie band breezing into Vancouver’s music scene.

Cyca, a prairie boy from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, began his musical career at home, singing with his father and sister. After a prototypical string of garage bands in high school, Cyca moved to Vancouver and bought a drum set. “I was in a band called The Kitchen, I played in a couple other projects, and I play with Piper Davis now. That brings us to Beekeeper,” says Cyca.

Lougheed followed a similar musical vein, always instilling his trademark cheekiness. While in his home province of Ontario, Lougheed was in Tomate Potate – a band known for their onstage martini consumption. “Fans started sending us martinis and it turned into this game of ‘How many martinis can these guys drink in a twenty minute period?’ Then one day the bassist, Nich, came up to me and said, ‘Just so you know, I don’t really like martinis,'” Lougheed smiles. “So that’s why I’ve got a bandmate now who likes martinis!”

Beekeeper melds high-energy beats with unconventional time signatures, appealing to both light-hearted listeners and music nerds. Lush earnest vocals are balanced with playful melodies. “It’s indie-rock made by reformed hard-core kids who are suckers for male/female harmonies and singalongs,” says Lougheed.

Cyca and Lougheed keep things interesting for themselves with constant experimentation. “Devon writes two new songs every week, so there’s no shortage of challenges,” Cyca explains. “An mp3 comes to my email box and it’s got the shittiest synth instruments playing drums – they’re not sequenced, just played live. I listen to it a few times, we jam on it and it changes a bit into a real song. And that’s how they’re made.”

The recording of Beekeeper’s first album, BE KEPT, was an adventure in itself. Recorded throughout Canada, from parties to bedrooms to studios, the resulting poshness of the tracks surprised the band. “We did everything wrong in terms of how you’re supposed to record,” says Cyca. “And then we dumped everything on Colin Stewart at Hive Studios,” laughs Lougheed. “He’s the godfather of the Beekeeper baby.”

Lougheed means this quite seriously. “Interviewing us about the album is like interviewing new parents about their first baby. I like everything about it! I even like when it poops!” Cyca nods in agreement, “Normally, after making an album, I’m totally sick of it, but this one I can actually listen to and enjoy still.”

BE KEPT follows the narrative of a man searching for something to keep. While Beekeeper’s core consists of Cyca and Lougheed, they often feature musical guests in their live performances and a variety of female vocalists, a violinist, and saxophone player were recruited to fill their sound on the album.

“I’m the most proud of Beekeeper,” says Lougheed. “My mom has been driving around with a copy and singing along, every once in a while she’ll call me and say things like, ‘What is this song about? I just like it so much! This is such a significant improvement!'”

Beekeeper’s album BE KEPT is available online and download cards will be available at SAD MAG LIVE this Saturday, October 9th!

Photographs by Tina Krueger-Kulic.

Alice Nelson and Jacqueline Russell give themselves the daunting task of summarizing and lampooning the history of feminism in sixty minutes, all while holding an audience’s interest. Inspired by Ariel Levy’s book “Female Chauvinist Pigs: The Rise of Female Raunch Culture,” “Raunch” is a series of sketches interspersed with quotes from Levy and other formidable feminists.

“Raunch” delves into the current state of feminism and whether such phenomena as reality television, breast implants, and fitness stripping are empowering or if we have simply reverted back to a 19th century mindset. Is it choice or is it pressure, they ask.

Nelson and Russell are truly amazing performers and deftly handle their chosen subjects but it would have been interesting had there been less focus on mainstream targets such as Hooters and more on blurry topics such as burlesque. “Raunch” is at its strongest with its slapstick commentaries rather than its more obvious parodies.

The quotes, while informative and relevant, were somewhat overwhelming in length and quantity. Be warned if sitting at stage level – the screen can be difficult to see.

With “Raunch,” Nelson and Russell create an informative and engaging performance full of laughs – it just leaves you wanting more.

Raunch
Part of the Vancouver International Fringe Festival
False Creek Gym
Remaining performances:
Friday Sept 17, 8:15 pm
Saturday Sept 18, 11:50 am

“I tend to find myself shirtless and in my underwear,” Cameron Macleod laughs. The comedian has a humble approach to his performances that places him in such strange and wonderful positions. His comedy group, ManHussy, will be hosting the much beloved annual Victory Square Block Party this Sunday, which features musical acts and comedic interludes.

Born and raised in British Columbia, Macleod began stand-up comedy in Vancouver after finishing theatre school. “I don’t remember any of the jokes I told but I’m sure they were terrible,” he smiles. “You have to get that tough exterior. Even after you’ve done it for a long time, you have to be comfortable with the possibility of going out there and doing your worst.” Macleod exudes a relaxed manner on stage that ensures his audience is always in on the joke, no matter how nonsensical or far-fetched it may be.

After paying his dues on the stand-up circuit, Macleod gallivanted across Europe and began his involvement in Vancouver’s booming sketch comedy when he returned. Macleod has been highly involved in the growing alternative comedy community and now has his hand in many comedic pies. In addition to being a part of Manhussy, Macleod is one of the producers of Bronx Cheer’s weekly shows at the China Cloud, the comedy curator of the Olio Festival, and collaborates with many other alternative comedy groups such as Pump Trolley.

“It’s not for everybody. My mom didn’t get it until she read Steve Martin’s autobiography,” Macleod says. But we think he’s just being modest. Enjoy the end of summer celebration this Sunday with the charm of Macleod’s Sex Guy and his many other comedic characters!

Victory Square Block Party
Sunday, September 5th
Victory Square Park
2 pm – 9 pm
Free!
See the Facebook event

Photo by Tina Krueger-Kulic.

“The Owls” brings the phrase “lesbian drama” to hyperbolic heights. Cheryl Dunne directs lesbian superstars, VS Brodie and Guinevere Turner, among others, in a poignant film that explores lesbian stereotypes through Sarah Schulman’s self-deprecating script.

The film follows a group of four 40-something lesbians struggling in their unhealthy relationships amidst the boonies of the California desert. The group hides a horrifying secret, of which the audience is aware from the beginning, and which another lesbian attempts to uncover.

The actors fill their roles beautifully, especially Guinevere Turner, who flits effortlessly from her character’s hilariously egotistical self descriptions to her dramatic interactions with the other characters. The film is effectively shot documentary style – the characters give individual interviews with the camera and flashbacks are shown.

The individual interviews showcase the film’s strongest moments but it takes a strange turn when suddenly, in the middle of the film, the actors begin discussing their respective characters and concepts like “butch” and “femme.” It feels painfully self-conscious and contrived and would have been best reserved strictly for the end of the film, if necessary at all.

Overall, the film reveals important and funny points about the portrayal of lesbians in media. If only it would lighten up a little.

Rebecca Slaven is a contributor to Sad Mag.

Having a baby is absolutely terrifying – even in traditional circumstances. Add to that finding a womb and an egg donor, deciding who the biological father will be, endless government forms, and having to pay upwards of $30,000 in bureaucratic fees and you understand the complications of a gay couple having a child via surrogate pregnancy in Canada. Playwright Dave Deveau’s newest production, Tiny Replicas, explores the many issues this situation raises.

Tiny Replicas is informative, touching, and funny as it follows a gay male couple, Simon & Ethan, on their journey of conceiving a child from start to birth. Revealing the power struggles that arise with the government, society, and their involved friends, Tiny Replicas is at its strongest when delving into Simon & Ethan’s relationship. The situation may be specific but the theme is universal – how do couples cope with hardship, change, and growing up? Though it temporarily quashed my childbearing desires, Tiny Replicas is a tender, brazen delight.

Tiny Replicas runs from July 21-25 at the Cultch, as part of the Neanderthal Festival. For tickets, visit www.thecultch.com.

Photo by Brandon Gaukel.