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Thanks to all who came out to Sad Mag Issue 9 Release + Hip Hop Karaoke last night! It was an amazing time and we’re thankful to all of you for joining us to celebrate the newest addition to the Sad Mag family!

If you missed out, you’ll be able to find Sad Mag Issue 9 at a retailer near you soon. If you’re subscribed, you already have an issue coming your way!

We thought we’d share the outpouring of happiness and love with this song from geneva.b, Issue 9 cover girl and brief West Coast transplant. It’s rare to have consecutive sunny days in a row in Vancouver, so seize the moment while it lasts and enjoy this new track!

love, Sad Mag

I finally took my first trip to New York, lets say it’s been a long time coming. It has been on my list for such a long time, and as a creative person, it seems ridiculous that it has taken me so long to make it there.

I thought I knew what to expect, I’ve seen it in movies and TV shows (which we all know are safe to base our opinions on, right?), I’ve heard all about my friends experiences, but in all the ways I prepared myself it’s really just a city that you need to experience and see for yourself.

As soon as I arrived I felt a sensation that would be comparable to walking into a river with an incredibly strong current that sucks you in and rushes you around. You might drown, but if you can keep afloat it takes you on a wild ride.

I was in total sensory overload the first couple days, I really wasn’t ready to introduce my camera to the city until I was able to figure out how to focus on one thing at a time. It was really exciting to have so much to look at.

At the end of my week I returned to Vancouver feeling like I just got off a roller coaster. But in a good way. Like when you get off the ride and just look for the end of the line to get back on again.

– Leigh Righton
Website / Twitter

I brought a new pair of sunglasses with me that made the whole city orange, I became obsessed with shooting everything through my sunglasses. This is the first shot I tried this on.

This fellah was amazing. He was sitting at the base of an American flag with his hair just a flowing in the wind. He was totally into what he was playing because when I approached him to ask if I could take some photos, I was pretty much on top of him before he noticed me… I hope I didn’t interrupt his groove, man.

Another example of my sunglasses obsession.

Yet another shot through my glasses, photographed from the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn bridge looking over to Manhattan. You can see one of the two towers being rebuilt. The day I took this shot, it also happened to be the day they added the floor that made it the tallest building in Manhattan once again.

I shot the reflection from a tinted back window of a car parked on the street.

I took this portrait after a comedy night at the Knitting Factory where Judah Friedlander was the special guest. I love 30 Rock. It was a really outstanding (free) night of comedy with Hannibal Buress as the host and Retta from Parks and Rec in the line-up… so good.

Checking out High Line park was something that was suggested to me a number of times by unrelated people I met or knew in the city. It was a highlight of my random wandering NYC adventures. It’s a park built on a raised rail line above the streets in Manhattan. The billboard art installation was a part of their commissioned works which circulate through. This particular one ran up until May 7th.

Snapped this from the subway looking onto the platform. No time to pull out the sunglasses filter.

I thought this girl was super cute, I saw her get set up in front of a number of pieces where she was sketching them out.

I think I really started to like living here when I got into playing ball at Kits Beach in the spring of 2009. Playing ball and reading on the beach is basically my dream vacation except I don’t have to go anywhere so it’s perfect.

I also really like my neighbourhood. I live just off of Commercial Drive—among artists, graduate students, and other undesirables. I don’t know how to cook, so the crazy restaurant density nearby is helpful. It also appears to be the only neighborhood with other black people. Most of all though, I appreciate that I’ve stumbled on a great crew of friends on my block—an outgoing, thoughtful, spiritual community that embrace me despite my transience.

– Shad, Issue 9 (the TRANSPLANT issue)

RSVP to our launch party on May 14th at Hip Hop Karaoke!

Photo by Leigh Righton

Tara Mahoney is one half of the Gen Why Media Project dream team, a “community building project that uses public art, participatory media, events and intergenerational dialogues to engage society in new forms of civic participation.” Given their commitment to community engagement, it makes perfect sense they would be part of the force behind this Monday’s Reimagine CBC Celebration. We talked to Tara about the event and why you should get involved in your public media.

Sad Mag: Hi Tara! Who are you and what do you do?

Tara Mahoney: I’m the co-founder and creative director of the Gen Why Media Project. The GWMP is a community building project that uses media, public art, events and intergenerational dialogue to engage society in new forms of public participation.

SM: Why did you get involved in the Reimagine CBC Celebration?

TM: We strongly believe in public media. We need a non-commercial provider to conenct us with the rest of our country, promote democracy and explore knowledge about ourselves and our culture, even if it’s not profitable. Commercial broadcaster cannot do that to the same extend as public media can. So that’s why when Open Media approached us about hosting Reimagine CBC event, we were totally on board. It’s an honor to be a part of a movement that encourages people to come together in a creative and generative way around such a deeply Canadian institution.

SM: How did OpenMedia and Leadnow.ca get involved? How do your organizations fit together?

TM: OM and LN both exist to promote civic engagement (in one way or another) and so do we. We have different approaches and focuses but ultimately we are trying to accomplish the same the goal, so it makes sense for us to join forces. Plus they are wonderful people and good friends.

SM: The CBC has such longevity as a Canadian institution. What makes it so beloved? How do they stay relevant?

TM: The CBC does many things very well and it has done a good job of innovating with technology – especially with their radio offerings. I think the one thing that keeps them relevant is that they reflect our Canadian identity back to us. They feel like a family member – a reliable and trusted source of knowledge. That is a profound and strong foundation to build on.

SM: What are you most excited about with the Reimagine CBC Celebration?

TM: Hm, that’s a hard one. I’m really excited about everything, we have an amazing group of participants. It will be great to see Wade Davis speak and hear a story from Ivan, and Steve Pratt always dazzles with his visions for innovation and the music will be great, it’s all exciting!

SM: What is your hope for the dialogues generated during the event?

TM: My hope for the dialogues is that people walk away feeling good and positive about how we can shape our public media together. I want people to feel like they have a stake in the CBC and responsibility to protect it, while also imagining the possibilities for the future.

SM: Do you have a vision for the future of the CBC?

TM: I think I’d be cool to see it be more open and integrated into communities so as to promote more cultural production. There is so much talent in this country, it’d be great to see the CBC as a platform that encourages and promotes crowd-sourced cultural innovation.

Get all the details on the Reimagine CBC Celebration here!

RSVP here!

Sarah Swinwood has been performing at Hip Hop Karaoke since May 2011! And she generously lent us some of her remaining time in No Fun City before she moves to NYC!

Read on to learn about this fab lady of the Fortune Sound Club stage!

Sad Mag: Where are you from and where are you headed?

Sarah Swinwood: I am from Ottawa, Montreal, Ireland. Peru, and I am headed to New York City.

SM: How did you first hear about Hip Hop Karaoke?

SS: I saw it on a flyer when I came to stay in Vancouver for awhile May 2011. I rap and write songs, so of course everyone said, “You gotta do this, you have to sign up!”

SM: What was your favorite song that you performed?

SS: Flavor of the Month by Black Sheep

SM: How often do you practice a song before going on stage?

SS: Usually not very much, I choose songs that I know by heart, inside out and upside down. I want to do justice to my favorite jams so I usually listen and read over the lyrics to brush up a few hours before.

SM: What do you love about performing at Hip Hop Karaoke?

SS: Fortune has the best sound system. The stage set up is perfect, and it’s always a packed, hyped audience. Flip-Out and Seko hold it down on the stage, and Chadillac, Paul Gt, Chris Dzaka and all the Fortune staff make it such a welcoming, comfortable experience. Overall I would say the sound system and audience enthusiasm knock it out of the park.

SM: Do you do any other live performing?

SS: I am also and MC/ Sarah Tone In, so I do my own shows, and also stand up comedy at other places around the city and now New York.

SM: What are your thoughts about Vancity as you head East?

SS: Vancouver can be a tough nut to crack. It’s a younger city, and there is not a very big Jamaican community, which makes it difficult to trust at times. I like a city with strong multiculturalism and flavor. I am happy to be heading back east for these reason. My very favorite part about Vancouver was performing at this event, and of course, the mountains and the ocean.

SM: Where can we find you/listen to your stuff?

SS: I am in production now so I do not have much out yet – it is coming and it will be a sweet surprise! Just keep your ears open for Sarah Tone In the MC and Sarah Swinwood the Comedian. You will see me on David Letterman and the cover of iD magazine. Swoon! Lots of love, and take care.

Issue 9 Launch at Hip Hop Karaoke
May 14 2012
Fortune Sound Club (147 E Pender)
$3 before 10:30PM, includes a new issue!
RSVP on Facebook

The best way for the CBC to thrive is to build a community of supporters who have a true sense of ownership over the organization. To this end, as part of a national campaign led by media advocacy groups Open Media and Lead Now, Gen Why Media is bringing together seasoned professionals, up-and-coming CBC talent, outside experts, media innovators, and citizens in a celebratory event that will add new energy to the CBC and help articulate a fresh vision for public media.

Opening Performance: Intercultural performance that showcases Canada’s diverse talent, cultural innovation, and artistic excellence.

Storytelling: Three cultural creators tell stories about their lives as Canadians, and how the CBC has been pivotal to their goals, careers and understanding of their country. Stories from:

Christine McAvoy (local music blogger and photographer)
Ivan Coyote (writer, storyteller, performer)
Wade Davis (author, anthropologist, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence)

Dialogue: On-stage “living room conversations” where participants reflect on the CBC and progressive media platforms, asking questions such as – How do we imagine the future of Canadian media? How will the CBC grow over the next 75 years? What areas for growth, change, transformation, and innovation could it pursue? What ideas or models could inspire its next generation of work? Participants:

Jarrett Martineau (independent cultural producer)
Kathleen Cross (Professor at SFU School of Communications)
Sean Devlin (of Shit Harper Did)
Steve Pratt (Director of CBC Radio 3)
Nettie Wild (acclaimed documentary filmmaker)

Closing Performance: Local super group of indie musicians. Performances by: Dan Mangan, Aidan Knight, Hannah Epperson, Zachary Gray (of the Zolas).

May 7th, 2012
The Vogue Theatre (918 Granville)
Doors at 6PM, Event at 7pm (sharp)
$15
Buy tickets here
RSVP on Facebook

Learn more about the campaign.
Learn more about Gen Why Media.

My first forays into Vancouver nightlife were really confusing. I was accustomed to packed venues and serious nights out among crowds of literally thousands in some cases. This felt very, very different. The vibe out at the club was a lot more reserved; people weren’t as friendly or outgoing as in Toronto and they just didn’t seem as cool or interesting to me the majority of the time….

What makes one place so live and another so low key that it borders on culturally void? It’s something I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out. The weed is not an excuse. People smoke just as much in the East. I would hear people say, “Oh, I never go out,” like it’s cool or something. I would think, “That’s why your scene is wack! You don’t support anything or anyone.” When you don’t nurture something, it shrinks and eventually dies.

– geneva.b, Issue 9 (the TRANSPLANT issue)

Get your issue at our launch party on May 14th (save the date, details coming soon!), or subscribe now! And check out geneva.b on SoundCloud!

Stylists: Jerisse de Juan, Shu Cheng; Makeup by Jerisse du Juan.

At Sad Mag HQ we take an interest in all art forms, or at least we try; personally, I can’t sit through a musical unless it was penned by Joss Whedon. But when we heard about a velvet art show, we were curious: velvet art? What is that, anyway? We inquired with Peter Short, one of hte curators of The ILL’N Velvet Show, about this rare and beautiful (one might say unicorn-esque) art form.

Sad Mag: Why velvet?

Peter Short: Velvet is so soft and smooth. It feels good against your mustache. It’s sexy yet sophisticated. Many people who hang velvet paintings also climb mountains and drink only the finest scotch. These are just a few reasons.

SM: What made you decide to do a whole show with velvet art?

PS: I think its safe for us all to admit just how bomb velvet paintings are. It’s true that the factory production of velvet paintings that existed in the 1970s was a bit of a bummer. Everyone was left with a cheesy impression of what velvet paintings could be but its just an unfortunate misconception. It was only a brief moment in the long history of paining on velvet. The medium has endless possibilities. We wanted to offer art lovers a different kind of gallery experience. The show is a celebration of the ILL’N Club’s second successful year in operation so we wanted to do something fun and unexpected.

SM: Is velvet art making a comeback?

PS: There has always been a desire and interest in velvet paintings. It never really went away. The problem is that the average art lover has to depend on the thrift or antique market for their supply of works on velvet. Quality paintings are only getting more scarce and desirable. Even ‘bad’ velvet paintings can have an outsider quality to them which is very sought after for some collectors. It’s sustained popularity has even necessitated a velvet museum called Velveteria which is now relocating to LA from Portland due to its growing popularity. They are seriously carrying the flame as well as the collectors of this great art form. Collectors whom we can only assume are mostly spies and secret agents. They like to come home after a hard day and puff on their pipes while getting the evening news from Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 News Team.

SM: When was it in style, anyway?

PS: We’re not even sure, really. Archeology can only tell us so much but we know that it popped up soon after velvet was invented in Kashmir. It was once treated quite seriously and the paintings mostly dealt with religious iconography. Sacred images painted on what was then a seriously luxurious material. There are velvet paintings that are hanging in the Vatican to this day. Who knows. Maybe all the popes smoked the dope.

The ILL’N Velvet Show: Closing Party

7:00PM, April 21st, 2012

Chapel Arts (304 Dunlevy)

$5 at the door

Free moustaches to the first 100 guests.

RSVP on Facebook

(If you can’t wait til April 21st to see the show, you can arrange a private preview. )

Sad Mag: Who is Jeff Downer? What do you do?

Jeff Downer: I can’t remember the last time I was bored. My favorite thing to do is to go where I have never been before. I am a photographer. But when I think of a photographer, I think of one who shoots manicured fingernails on a bed of diamonds, a freshly-washed, well groomed poodle, or a structurally accurate rendering of a building that looms large overhead.

I use the medium of photography to present to others what I find around me when I am haunting the streets that may otherwise go unnoticed. I think if I wasn’t photographing, I would like to own a nick-nack shack on the side of the road, selling strange oddities, horrible coffee, mediocre food, smoking cigarettes, somewhere lost in the deserts of New Mexico.

SM: Why did you transplant to Vancouver?

JD: I moved to Vancouver because the stagnant pressure of the suburbs was too intense. In high school I spent my time doing homework at the bus stop, scrawling mathematics — a subject I disregarded — using the metal pole as a surface to write, or reading Franny and Zooey for English on the long bus ride into the city. This is also where I met some close friends, others who were just as estranged by the suburbs as myself who put up with the long bus ride down the highway, through countless strip malls, suburban lawns, taking us to the then old, defunct Woodwards on Hastings. However, like most Vancouverites I know, give me one year and I will be thinking about leaving and moving elsewhere.

SM: What did you shoot for Issue 9?

JD: Photographs I took when I was hitchhiking across North America, shortly after I realized how much a 9-to-5 was the least congruent thing I could do to myself. It was like wearing one of those radiation protective jackets they stick on you at the dentists when making x-rays of your teeth; it was that heavy. The other was of a terrific restroom in an Elvis themed cafe, lost in the middle of the highway somewhere near Hells Gate, BC, that had the kookiest owner ever. Imagine an Elvis paraphernalia hoarder with two shih tzu’s that probably hadn’t talked to a single individual for the better half of the morning.

SM: What do you love about photography?

JD: I want to describe the world around me, and attempt to do this through the medium of photography. I photograph what is around me, things that are just there, things that I am interested in. I like the process of taking pictures, wondering around finding things that catch my eye. The photograph is secondary to this act of moving through the world, and is sort of a document of this process.

SM: Do you have a favourite photo?

JD: Yes I have one, but no one will ever see it.

SM: Favourite local photographer?

JD: Besides Bryan Adams (kidding), has to be Tim Barber, even though, he lives between Vancouver and New York. His “untitled photographs” are so alluring and are refreshing moments that loaded within the moment. Beautiful.

SM: Where can people see more of your work?

JD: If anyone is going to be in Boston, I am part of a group show opening Friday the 13th at the Presidents Gallery. I have two publications out, one called “Gol Nu Get Mote” but the first pressing is currently sold out, and a new book coming in May “[ver-seylz]”. I have a website too.

Catch Jeff’s photographs in Issue 9, on stands everywhere at the end of April!

Fresh Tunes: geneva.b

NYC Photo Diary: Leigh Righton

Issue 9 Preview! Shad

Q&A: Tara Mahoney

Hip Hop Karaoke + Sad Mag Issue 9 Launch Party

Q&A: Sarah Swinwood

Reimagine CBC Celebration

Issue 9 Preview! geneva.b

The Velvet Show

Q&A: Jeff Downer