News | Sad Mag

On Sunday, join Sad Mag and the Kingsgate Chorus at the Cobalt (917 Main) for a holiday fundraiser.

Also featuring Mount Pleasant Regional Institute of Sound (MPRIS) and DJ Ruggedly Handsome, you can look forward to boozy holiday crafting, sing-a-longs, a dance party and a photobooth.

Entry is only $10 and it all goes straight to the Crisis Centre. Doors at 8PM!

The Crisis Centre has been providing emotional support to youth, adults and seniors in distress since 1969. As a safe place to turn when there seems to be no hope, the Crisis Centre is operated by 385+ front line volunteers and a small team of professional staff who support and empower individuals to see their own strengths and options, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In 2011, the Crisis Centre impacted more than 93,000 lives across BC through its three core programs: 24/7 Distress Phone Services, YouthInBC.com, and Community Education. Learn more about the Crisis Centre.

Tis’ the season to cheer, wearing that over-sized sweater, getting ready for the new year and/or finding the best defense for the upcoming Apocalypse. As of recently, my friends and I have been dreaming of zombies, escape routes and getting away from the chaos with the hope of never looking back. Dreams of the Apocalypse may come and go however the hope for world peace is still on the table. So what if we make it to 2013? I’ll most likely be writing this monthly feature and you will be making some resolutions to quit smoking, get your dream job or eat better. Whatever happens to us, let’s rejoice and thank the universe for infectious local music. I’ve created a playlist with 24 day-dreamy songs to get you through the holidays unscathed.

That said, go support our local record shops and buy some music!

Listen to the Winter Magic playlist.

// Track Listing //

1 Hannah Epperson Murder of Crows
2 The Ruffled Feathers All My Cities
3 James Lamb Wrecking Ball
4 David Newberry All Of My Friends Are Famous
5 Fish & Bird Jellyfish Ghosts
6 The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra End of Days
7 Mathieu Lavigne Little Wars
8 Christopher Smith Middle of the Night
9 From Birch to Yew To Keep Those Alive
10 Frazey Ford Hey Little Mama
11 Portage and Main What Have I Done
12 Mike Edel The Country Where I Came From
13 Hannah Georgas All I Need
14 Dominique Fricot Strange Lady
15 Jordan Klassen Go To Me
17 Weathered Pines Me & the Sea
18 Stefana Fratila Mes Fantomes Gries
19 Dogwood and Dahlia Whiskey Hearts
20 Ma Petite Man About Moon
21 Siskiyou Twigs and Stones
22 Aidan Knight Skip
23 Brasstronaut Bounce
24 cris derksen Hindsight 20/20

It isn’t easy to create funny looking portraits. Photographer Alex Waber took on the task of capturing the style and the seemingly effortless lack of grace of the comedians of Vancouver for Sad Mag’s Glamour issue. Waber is well versed in the glamorous and absurd: he has photographed for some of Canada’s best fashion magazines as well as created some unsettling satire of the industry; he elegantly portrayed a baker covered in flour, and he has even made a one man comedy show about a tinfoil sculpture seem dignified. To provide a glimpse of the method behind his madness, Waber sat down for a coffee at Revolver Cafe in Gastown to shoot the shit with Sad Mag on a rare not-rainy afternoon.

Sad Mag: What was the initial idea the magazine brought to you and how did it evolve?

Alex Waber: The concept was to do a series of portraits about the comedians of Vancouver in the style of 1940s glamour. They had a few ideas of character types they wanted to portray – because each comedian has their own personal style, whether it be improv, sketch performance or political comedy. [The magazine] had a skeleton and then we worked together to flesh it out.

SM: The sets are very elaborate. You even built a cityscape for the action man photos – what made you what to take on that task?

AW: The original name for that shoot was ‘heroes’ and when I was thinking back to 1940s heroes I immediately thought of the stereotypical scene with heroes standing on a rooftop with the wind blowing. I was initially thinking it would be awesome to put them in brightly coloured leotards and capes, but then I wanted to ground it more in spy thrillers from that era. I figured it would be more fitting with them wearing bomber jackets and dressed in that style. I love early Hollywood movies where there are blatantly painted backgrounds, and I wanted to portray that sense of artificiality in this glamorous situation; so we shot [the scene] in a studio rather than on an actual rooftop…which we actually ended up doing for another shoot.

SM: That’s right, the “heavy hitters” were drinking martinis on a roof – how did that come together?

AW: The rooftop one was a weird situation because originally we were going to shoot it in someone’s apartment that we decorated to make look like an office, but due to unforeseen allergies we had to rethink that plan half an hour before the [comedians] arrived on set. Rather than having one sneezy character in the background, it made more sense to move. The solution we came up with – aside from photoshopping in the background, which would have been a bit of a nightmare – was moving up to the roof of the building and setting it up like a fancy cocktail party, with a table cloth, drinks and all that. It was a fun scramble to set it all up.

SM: Is it difficult to come up with a photo shoot that will work as a visual-joke. Or at least seem jokey?

AW: Sometimes. I often will come up with a really big complicated ideas and then have to scale it back to something that is manageable for us. We can’t do the billion dollar sets quite yet, but one day. It’s a fine balance.

SM: What do you think brings the comedian photos all together? Do they speak to each other or do you think of them as separate concepts?

AW: I think they work together because they all have a nostalgic vibe to them, primarily because of the stylists. I had two awesome stylists, Burcu Ozdemir (from Burcu’s Angels) and Tyra Weitman. The clothing, hairstyling and the makeup – there was a whole team of makeup artists – really helped to tie it to a time period. The shoots themselves can be similar, but there a few of them that get pretty crazy – the action man photos were like nothing else in the series – so I think it was mainly the styling that helped keep it together.

SM: How did the comedians react to the intricacy of your set ups?

AW: I think they really enjoyed it. A lot of them said they had never done anything like this. They’re natural performers, so once we decided to do something, they were great. The only challenge was that they’d make me laugh and then I’d jiggle the camera, so not the worst problem in the world, really.

From now until December 31st, you can save 30% off the one-year subscription price for Sad Mag– and 29 other great BC magazines as well!

Subscribe by Saturday, December 1st and your lucky recipient will get their first issue by January 1st!

Check out the full details at the MagsBC website!

If it weren’t for the beautiful landscape, friends and music projects I’d happily be packing my suitcase to get to a destination where taco stands are still out on the streets and bike riding in a sun dress is still permissible. Ahh the heat. Ok, realistically my ginger ass wouldn’t be able to handle it for more than 15 minutes as my sensitive skin would burn me into a landmark of red, however I can daydream and repeat the sentiment every rainy season. For now, I’ll regress to bike riding in my water proof outfit (it’s really not that bad) and continuously forgetting to buy an umbrella despite being a permanent Vancouver resident. My music radar has been slow these past weeks as Summer and Fall’s music circuit is slowing down as well as being preoccupied with stuff (cats, love, photo taking, etc). Finding music videos for local artists isn’t always an easy task, however this month I was able to discover a few new artists in the process as well as get a sense of what’s out there for easy autumn listening.

These five artists are perfect when looking out the window at the rain-soaked city, walking over bridges in the drizzle as well as rolling around in leaves with your lover. They will tickle your heart and perhaps leave you thinking about the Canadian landscape and how it really isn’t that bad.

The Country Where I Came From – Mike Edel

Mike Edel has been a great discovery. The video and song correspond with feeling introspective about space and time, and how we fit into this large world of contemplation and loneliness. Atmospheric and slow, the video really captures the essence of the song. I’m also a big fan of dogs so having a black and white canine guest star sealed the deal. Mike is currently on tour across country with Jordan Klassen, a great match of men who pull at your musical heart strings.

Album Teaser – Ma Petite

This isn’t a music video but definitely worth watching! It will leave you wanting more and having a crush on a lovely Australian singer songwriter (and her story).

Local Swan – The Zolas

This is a band I didn’t necessarily want to like as I felt they were too happy, thankfully I gave it a listen and fell for their sweet songs and lyrical pairing. The Zolas are a very Vancouver band to me and have been able to succeed in a land of pop music as well as capture the crowds of the indie world. The band is hard working and definitely have a live presence within the music community.

Call and Answer – Jordan Klassen

One of my favourite local artists to come out of the radio machine, Jordan Klassen really uses his soft voice to narrate stories and orchestrate the instrument rich backings. His style definitely has a pinch of Sufjan Stevens although he is currently outgrowing the comparison with the release of his 2012 Kindness EP.

We Will Host a Party – Hannah Epperson

Oh Hannah. What a gem, talent and lovely being. She beams with positivity and humbleness and definitely a force to be reckoned with. Her sparse lyrics and brilliant violin are definitely an emotional ride when seen live. I’ve seen her play three times and it keeps getting better as she is becoming more comfortable with sharing her inner workings. Hannah is also busy with Four on the Floor and collaborating/playing with other local music acts in the city.

Canzine Vancouver

November 17, 2012
W2, 111 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
1PM-7PM
$5 Admission (includes the fall issue of Broken Pencil Magazine)

Schedule

1-7pm: Zine Fair

Over 50 of Vancouver and BC’s best zines and underground publications!

1-7pm: Get in Where You Fit In

A Participatory Drawing Show with curators Alex Stursberg and Brennan Kelly. There will be a series of original drawings and large-format prints that people can colour in. Keep your eyes peeled for this.

2pm: 1-2 Punch Book Pitch

Live on our main stage in front of a crowing crowd, you get two minutes to pitch your book to our panel of judges. They get one minute each to tell you why you’ll never get published in a million, billion years, or why they want to see your manuscript in their inbox ASAP.

4:30 Dissent Chill: The Chill Against Political Dissent in Art

As the conservative government threatens art grants and rejects funding for artistic projects and centres that support projects it sees as anti-government or “glorify[ing] terrorism,” are artists and art centres afraid to create controversial works for fear of losing funding? Our panelists will discuss the perceptions and realities surrounding this topic.

6 pm: W2 Real Vancouver Writers Series at Canzine

Featuring Hal Niedzviecki, founder of Broken Pencil Magazine reading from the collection of short stories Look Down, This is Where it Must Have Happened (City Lights, April 2011). AG Pasquella reading from his latest novel NewTown (AGP Books, 2012). Teresa McWhirter reading from her new novel Five Little Bitches (Anvil, 2012). Jean Smith, novelist and singer in the underground rock duo Mecca Normal. Sarah Leavitt reading from her graphic novel about her mother dying of Alzheimer’s, Tangles.

9:30: Official Afterparty & Sad Mag #11 Launch

Also happening at W2, the Canzine West afterparty features a DJ set by Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party, drag Performances by Tranapus Rex and Beaux Vine, and music by traditional Turkish folk band Something about Reptiles! Admission is $10 and includes a one-year subscription to Sad Mag. Details on Facebook!

How do you identify? What makes you passionate about who you are?

How do express your identity? Asexual, Anarchist, Athiest?

Do you want to talk about it?

Put your book in our library and share your story!

As part of the 2013 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in partnership with grunt gallery, Vancouver will be hosting a Human Library.

We are currently looking for people who self-identify as being parts of communities that are often met with prejudice, misunderstanding, stereotype or hatred.

The Human Library is an international phenomenon, having appeared in sixty-five countries over the past twelve years. Originating in Denmark, the project was introduced to fight hate in communities through an innovative method designed to promote dialogue, reduce prejudices and encourage understanding. The Library enables groups to break stereotypes by challenging the most common prejudices in a positive/humorous manner.

Our Human Library project allows audience members to “check out” a human book for 20 minutes for an informal one-on-one conversation. This gives the human books a platform to tell their story and converse with a single audience member at a time.

Where: Vancouver Public Library Central Branch
When: 12 pm-4 pm, January 18-20, January 25-27, February 1-3
Minimum requirement: One day/weekend

Additionally, the Human Library Curator (Dave Deveau) will be hosting two workshops leading up to the festival to help prepare the books for the experience and help them all shape their stories.

In total, being a Human Book represents a 20-hour time commitment. It is important to note that as part of the stipulations of the Human Library Organization this is a volunteer opportunity.

Interested?

Send us your Human Library title(s).
Share with us what kinds of stories, challenges, anecdotes and/or stereotypes you might interface with as your Human Library title.
Can you engage an audience member in a 20-minute conversation?
What makes you passionate about this project and about who you are and what title you may represent?

Applicants must be available for the 20-hour time commitment including workshops. Please send your materials to Human Library Curator Dave Deveau at davedeveau@gmail.com. Apply by December 1st, 2012 at 4:00PM.

The thought of fumbling through the DIY mechanisms of indie productions maintains a certain taste of romanticism, and even more so with Top Less. The band puts their own apparel together, and although their costumes are not their sole identifier, they are all hallmark.

Prior to the dawn of the green hockey men, the members of Top Less donned pink, purple, and blue spandex onesies and formed a glam-rock legion of Power Rangers. Once these were wrecked post-tour, Sitka clothing gave the band their first set of pajama onesies. During the Chinese Year of the Dragon, Top Less donned wyvernesque apparel.

It’s not all just for show. These costumes serve a function that is just as internal as external. While the costumes add to the show for the crowd, they also provide support for the band. In short: these are power suits.

Read the full interview with Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party in Sad Mag #11: The Glamour Issue, launching November 17th at W2.

Photo by Katie Stewart

JudeJube (JJ): Your performances on stage challenge common understandings of gender, performance, bodies, and sexuality. Describe your interpretation of drag as it relates to traditional gender performance.

Tran Apus Rex (T Rx): Drag is about fun, performance, and gender and it is both a representation of who you are and not who you are at the same time…Traditionally drag has been about the performance of the opposite gender. This creates a “visual denial” for the audience. When I perform people think they are experiencing a visual denial of my gender and I take off my shirt and somehow it does not confirm anything, this is a powerful moment. I pursue this ambiguity. I love cocks, but if I were to whip out a dildo in a way that revealed a truth about my body, it wouldn’t be fun for me.

JJ: What has sparked your interest in gender performance

T Rx: Part of the reason I started this project is because I’m becoming man at 30. I had no typical coming of age and now I have to create my own. I’ve been fooling around with the idea of initiation, a rite of passage, liminal stages between male and female. There are normative ideas of what masculinity and femininity are, we cannot escape these, we respond to them. We also disrupt these, everyone does. There are roles that I take on and play with. In all this, I’m trying to figure out what means to be a good man…thankfully, I’ve had a lot of help from women in my life.

JJ: Traditional drag defies gender identity and gender expression, generally from a non-trans perspective. In contrast, what is trans drag?

T Rx: If you’re doing drag and you’re a trans person with a trans body, which mine is, then what does it mean to be opposite? I’ve had other trans identified people assert that I should be a drag queen because that is ‘true drag’ in the sense of my gender. But what is true? My performance of masculinity on stage is very different from my expression of masculinity in my personal life.

JJ: What role does removing clothing play on stage?

T Rx: Going topless is important to my performance. The way that my chest is shaped does not confirm or deny anything… It’s disruptive. After my first few performances I had people coming up to me and not knowing if I was a drag queen with estrogen or king on T or if I identified as a trans man or trans woman. I don’t feel exposed, it’s the audience that is exposed. In terms of trans male bodies or trans bodies in general, taking my shirt off on stage means that other people have to confront their assumptions of what a male body looks like.

JJ: The Glamour Issue features Bloody Betty, a performer you’ve worked with before. What is your experience of her style of drag and performance art?

T Rx: Bloody Betty is a fantastic performer. I am inspired by her. Betty’s performances are characterized by a lot of excess. The blood is so gratuitous it becomes something completely different. In general, I hate gore, I do not watch gory movies, but Betty is changing that for me. She has challenged me because I don’t like a lot of violence on stage. A lot of people in my community are affected by violence and I find it troublesome to have violence on stage, but I’m fascinated by ritual. This is our common ground, where the bodily fluids, milk, hair, power, and gender come together…At the Sad Mag launch I will be disrupting the ideas of what beautiful and what’s glamorous.

Witness T Rx and Beau Vine at W2 on Saturday November 17th to celebrate the launch of Sad Mag’s Glamour Issue: GLAM, GLAMOUR and GLITTER!

Photo by Kale Friesen/ Hair by Amberleigh

I’d lived in Vancouver my whole life, but I’d never seen anything like this.

Hundreds of people coming together under the north side of the Cambie Street Bridge dressed in the brightest colours and craziest costumes: banana suits, 80s inspired office wear, workout clothes, and faux fur body suits were just a few of the attire choices. Some had chosen to bring props: workout equipment, hula-hoops, streamers and fake palm trees. Everyone was dancing like it was the first time they had ever heard music. “How are they getting away with this?” I wondered. Living in No-Fun-City, it isn’t hard to believe that this was the first thing that crossed my mind.

A good friend of mine had told me about the party. “It’s is one of the most amazing things you will ever experience,” she said, and she was right. There were people everywhere, laughing, dancing, singing. It was loud, free of charge and made me feel like the city wasn’t just an empty concrete space. This was the Decentralized Dance Party and it had transformed the city into a thriving celebration of life.

As the spell of the DDP’s intense party atmosphere faded I also wondered who the masterminds were behind this unique concept. The DDP project is the brainchild of Tom and Gary (last names withheld for privacy reasons). In 2008 Gary began working on the Decentralized Sound System. The System works by combining the seemingly antiquated technology like FM radio transmission, 1980’s and 1990’s boom boxes and 1970‘s disco mixers with modern iPods and wireless transmission technologies. They link up their digital music to the FM transmission, then set a boom box set to that transmission, and boom! A party is born.

The system has no central audio source and no central location. “All the equipment is compact, inexpensive and readily available. The DDP is based on the autonomy of the individual. With no central authority it is incredibly difficult to corrupt and impossible to shut down,” says Gary.

This group of party enthusiasts is dedicated to throwing public dance parties in public spaces, welcoming everyone into their celebration as they go. After just a few minutes at the party, I could see that the DDP had an incredible ability to bring people together, and out of their social shells. The main goal was to drop the standard of social behaviour and just have fun. You can be whoever you like and express yourself however you like, as long as it is peaceful and safe. By upholding this value the DDP creates a positive atmosphere that is impossible to destroy and gives everyone the opportunity to participate. Whether you stumble upon the party and want to let your hair down, or if you are a DDP veteran and want to put on a show of your own, everyone is welcome and able to truly be themselves.

The DDP uses social media to broadcast their “party route” in whatever city they are in and have held 15 parties in Vancouver alone, and 51 in total across North America. Their ability to rally the masses in a peaceful way can only be attributed to practice and the help of the Bananas. The Elite Banana Task Force is a group of eight dedicated party animals that are the muscle behind every event. They control the crowds, fix stereos, sell merchandise, and most importantly encourage participation and high energy. As it grows the DDP has proven to be more than just a party: it’s an interesting social experiment demonstrating that thousands of people of all ages, cultures and social groups can come together to celebrate and get crazy in our public spaces without causing any disturbance.

As for what’s next for the DDP, Tom and Gary are working towards a global celebration, in which one party will be held simultaneously across the entire world. This feat would require different technology and a lot of hard work, but somehow I know that they will succeed.

Photos by Jonathan Spooner, Words by Richenda Smith

Not-So-Silent Night

Local Musics // December

Q&A: Alex Waber

2012 Subscription Campaign!

Local Musics: November

Canzine West

The Human Library

Exclusive Preview: Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party

Q&A: Tranapus

Decentralized Dance Party