Last night, I went to Union Hall. I’d never been before because it’s way out on the south side of the city, and because I’m not generally a fan of huge mega-clubs. Really, I’m not a fan of clubs in general.
With rare exception, I’d rather hangout at a pub, and be able to actually hear what my friends are saying when I’m out. Sometimes, though, loud music and dancing are the thing to do, especially when there is an attractive woman involved.
I have to admit, despite my lack of fondness for over-sized dance clubs, Union was pretty awesome. While I did meet a few vapid girls in line while I was waiting to get in, most of the people in the club were cool, laid back, and friendly. There were none of the typical meatheads and bar stars you usually find at clubs in this city (or any city, for that matter).
The music was pretty damn good, too, despite the fact that they played Limp Bizkit—twice. There’s a good reason that no one has listened to Limp Bizkit for over 6 years. But, I guess when everyone is drunk and rowdy, any kind of aggressive music will do.
Aside from the Limp Bizkit faux pas, the music was rockin’. Most of the clubs in this city play really, really shitty music. Union is one of the few exceptions.
There is one thing about Union that I don’t like. They use the infamous BarLink system. I’m pretty strongly opposed to BarLink, and didn’t realize that they used it until I was already handing over my ID to be scanned.
At that point, I was already in the system, and couldn’t really do anything about it, so I figured that I might as well go inside. Besides, I was meeting a woman, and apparently I’m willing to loosen my principles when an attractive woman is involved.
If you’re opposed to the BarLink system, or have privacy concerns about it, avoid Union Hall. But, if you don’t mind having your ID scanned into the system, or you’re already in the system, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Other than the BarLink issue, and the occasional poor song selection, I can’t find much to criticize about Union. It claims to be “Edmonton’s only bar with no expectations,” and that’s essentially true (even if it is just marketing speak).
The club’s tag line, “Show up, don’t show off,” is one that’s followed by almost all of the patrons. No one is looking to show off or cause trouble, they’re just looking to have a good time and a great party.
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for River City Writer. My grandfather was in town for the first time in years, my cousin got married on the weekend, plus I was hanging out at the Fringe as much as I possibly could while that was happening.
All of this has left me with little time to blog. Rather, it’s left me with little energy to blog. I could have made the time, if I truly wanted to, I just didn’t have to energy or the motivation. I apologize for this.
I’m going to try and post more regularly here. I mean, hell, this isn’t really a blog for me. As much as I enjoy writing it, I’m doing it for my audience. I’m doing it for Edmontonians and tourists alike. I want this blog to become a go-to guide for all things Edmonton. If that’s going to happen, I’ve got to get my act together and stick to a schedule.
Having said that, please note that I will not be posting on Labour Day. It’s a holiday, and I may or may not be in town. Even if I am in town, I might just have had a few too many glasses of rye. That is, after all, the way that an Edmontonian spends a long weekend. (Hell, it’s the way a lot of Canadians spend a long weekend.)
The University of Alberta has a new Writer-in-Residence as the 2007-2008 school year comes to an open next week. His name is rob mclennan.
Rob is a writer of poetry and fiction, and his new blog, Alberta, Writing, seems to indicate that he’s ready to throw himself into the Edmonton literary scene with gusto. He’s also offered to be a source for River City Writer. Rob’s going to try and keep me in-the-know with regard to readings around town, and I’ll pass that information on to you.
I’ll also be feeding rob with lies and secrets about the Edmonton literati, so that he can spread news around the University, and tell people just how awesome the scene here in Edmonton is.
On a related note, I’d like to thank whoever it was who directed rob to River City Writer. Hopefully, this little relationship will prove beneficial for everyone involved.
Author’s note: I’ve been informed that it should be “rob mclennan,” not “Rob McLennan,” and have edited this entry accordingly. I’m still capitalizing “rob” when it’s the first word in a sentence, though.
It is now almost exactly 1 month until the 2007 Roar Spoken Word Festival rocks River City[1]. The festival’s new website was launched recently, so I figured I’d point you all in that direction.
For those of you who may be unaware, the Roar is Edmonton’s premiere spoken word festival. Hell, it’s really the only spoken word festival in Edmonton. It may be the only one in Western Canada. Calgary has a poetry festival, and Edmonton has Poetry Week (of which the Roar is a part), but neither of those festivals are devoted exclusively to the spoken word. Calgary also has a spoken word festival, but I’m inclined to say that the Roar is 10 times cooler.
The Roar isn’t necessarily about the genre of performance poetry that is referred to as Spoken Word. It’s about the spoken word more generally. This means any poetry that is meant to be read/performed aloud. This includes traditional slam poetry, as well as confessionals, Zen-readings, hip hop, sound poetry, and more.
The Roar isn’t just about poetry, it’s about taking the words off of the page, and bringing them to life–brutally and violently, if necessary.
If you don’t have plans for September 21, 2007, you should check out the Roar, happening in downtown Edmonton from 7pm until approximately whenever we get kicked out of our final venue. If you do have plans, you should break them.
*****
[1] Disclosure: I am involved in the planning and implementation of the Roar festival. I’m also a performer.
Last night, I went to see “El Muchacho,” a Fringe play involving my friend Patrick Pilarski. “El Muchacho” is a Mexican-ized version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado.” It was a hilarious show, and a lot of fun to watch.
My one complaint was the male lead. Frankly, he wasn’t a very good singer. His solos were mildly painful to listen to, and there was something about his acting overall that bugged me. I’m not sure exactly what it was, but it bothered me.
Despite that, I can’t complain too much. The rest of the performances were solid, and the songs were all well executed. Plus, there were moments of improv, which is always fun.
I might be biased, because I had a friend in the show, but he was only in the chorus, and not one of the leads, so I think that I’m able to put any prejudice aside, and judge it fairly. Having said that, take my review with a grain of salt. Judge it for yourself, instead.
“El Muchacho” plays again today at 4:00pm, and closes on Saturday, August 25 at 6:30pm.
This weekend, I managed to attend a few Fringe shows. I didn’t get to see as many as I had hoped, because some of the ones I wanted to go to were sold out, but all of the ones that I did get to see were good. Some were better than others, but I enjoyed every one of them. Here, in brief, are my thoughts on the plays I saw this weekend. If you get the chance, you should check all of them out before the festival is over.
JEM ROLLS Up: Jem Rolls is a British performance poet. I saw him last year for the first time, and thought he was incredible. When I found out that my friends Nicole and Patrick were going to see his show this year, I couldn’t say no to the invitation. Jem is a master of word play, and is an incredibly energetic performer. He manages to blend humour, politics, lamentations about the state of the world, and spirituality into an almost seamless 60 minute performance. I’ll admit that his poetry might not be for everyone, but if you like spoken word with a twist, you won’t be disappointed.
Die Nasty: The Live Improvised Soap Opera: Die Nasty is a regular improv event in Edmonton, but it takes on a whole new level of awesome during the Fringe. I saw it on opening night, and laughed the entire time. It’s tough to describe the show, since it’s all improvised, but most Edmontonians already know that Die Nasty is a sure thing, so I can probably just leave it at that.
Louge-zilla!: Lounge-zilla! is a parody of gay cabaret, performed by Fiely A. Matias (aka: Lounge-zilla). The show is terrible. But, it’s terrible in all of the right ways. It’s raunchy, it’s cheesy, and it’s absolutely hilarious. It’s like a B-movie that’s so bad its good. Hell, it’s like Army of Darkness, not in terms of plot, of course, but in the sense that it’s aware of its own cheesiness. There is a nice undertone of irony to the show, without which, it might come across as just another cliché gay cabaret show.
The Fugue Code: The Fugue Code is billed as a musicology comedy-thriller. It’s impossible to understand exactly what that means, unless you’ve seen the show, but it’s a completely apt description. Contemplation of Bach’s fugue suites; humour that’s funny, even as it makes you groan; and a giant, undead Bach are all featured in this one man show by Alex Eddington. You have to see it to believe it, but it was one of the best plays I’ve seen all year, and probably the best one man act I’ve ever seen. This one is a must see.
There has been a lot of talk in the past year about how unsafe Edmonton has become. This talk is not as common as it was a few months ago, but it still lingers. Hell, there is a (satirical) Facebook group called Stabmonton (you must have a Facebook account to view it).
While I find it pretty funny, apparently the mayor does not. Humour aside, the existence of such a group does highlight the fact that there have been more violent crimes in Edmonton than usual, this year.
What got me thinking about safety concerns in Edmonton wasn’t Stabmonton, though. I was out walking tonight, and realized that I felt completely safe and comfortable walking around downtown, and Oliver, even in areas with few or no streetlights.
Frankly, I can’t remember a time that I didn’t feel safe walking the streets of Edmonton. I’ll admit that there are neighbourhoods that I’d rather avoid after dark–Downtown East and East Chinatown come to mind–but I’ve been in both of those neighbourhoods after dark, and not had more trouble than being yelled at by a drunk who could hardly walk straight, let alone do me any real harm.
I wondered if I am alone in my feelings. Do most Edmontonians feel endangered when they walk the streets of our city? Do you feel unsafe in Edmonton?
I realize that certain demographics will likely have very different perceptions of safety than others, but I’m hoping to get a general sense of how the average Edmontonian feels about safety in the city, mostly in regard to street violence. My question, then, is this: how safe do you feel in Edmonton?
Last week, I asked for people to select their favourite Edmonton restaurants, and let me know what they were. Only a couple of people have added to the list, but I expect that to change soon. I’m still looking for new recommendations for the list, and I will add all of your choices to this list over time.
I’ll also add short reviews based on my experiences with the restaurants. Some of the restaurants on the list are my own additions (although, for now, I’ve mostly kept the list to places that have been recommended by readers), but it’s been a while since I’ve visited most of them. Because I want my reviews to be as up-to-date as possible, I won’t write reviews of my additions until I’ve given them a more recent visit.
It may take a while, but I will do my best to visit every single restaurant that is recommended, even as the list grows over time. Feel free to add your own reviews in the comments section, if they’re particularly helpful, I may use them as the official review for the list (with credit given to you, and a link to your website, if applicable).
Doan’s Vietnamese Restaurant (10130-107 Street & 7909-104 Street) - Vietnamese. Good food and low prices. Read a full review of Doan’s Vietnamese Restaurant.
Double Greeting Wonton House (10212-96 Street) - Chinese
Dynasty Restaurnant (10316-76 Avenu) - Chinese (with Dim Sum)
Garden Bakery (10019-106 Street) - Chinese Bakery & Restaurant
Golden Bird Restaurant (10544-97 Street) - Vietnamese
Highlevel Diner (10912-88 Avenue) - Home-style diner. Good food, friendly atmosphere, and a reasonably priced menu. Read a full reveiw of the Highlevel Diner.
Hoang Long (10715-98 Street - Restaurant; West Edmonton Mall Chinatown - Noodle House; 10041-170 Street - Family Restaurant) - Vietnamese & Thai
Mirama Dining & Lounge (9431 Jasper Avenue) - Chinese (with Dim Sum)
Padmanadi (10626-97 Street) - Indonesian/Vegetarian. Great vegetarian food, especially for the crypto-carnivores out there (fake meat is a big part of the menu). Read a full review of Padmanadi.
Spago (12433-97 Street (only accessible from 97 Street northbound) ) - Portuguese/Seafood
Thanh Thanh Oriental Noodle House (10718-101 Street) - Thai
Two Rooms Cafe (101, 10324 82 Avenue) - Canadian. Excellent food, good prices, and a comfortable, cozy atmosphere. Read a full review of Two Rooms Cafe.
Wild Earth Bakery (8902-99 Street) - North American Bakery/Coffeehouse
Typically, when speaking of Motor City, people are referring to Detroit. Edmonton, however, could also be described as Motor City, albeit for different reasons.
Edmonton is a city designed for automobiles. The city is a sprawling mess of pedestrian unfriendly roadways, and it can take ridiculously long amounts of time to travel by bus in Edmonton. As good as the Edmonton Transit System (ETS) is, it tends to be pretty slow.
I’m lucky enough to live downtown. While I don’t live right in the heart of the city (any more), I do live pretty close. My apartment is on the north-western edge of downtown Edmonton. While I’m not necessarily within close walking distance of certain places, I’m easily within cycling distance. I could just as easily walk to many of the places that I’d cycle to, it would just take longer.
In an effort to get in better physical shape, and also to help reduce my carbon footprint, I’m going to start cycling a lot more this summer. There are certain places that I won’t cycle, simply because they are too far away, and I’m too out of shape, but most of the places I visit on a regular basis are no more than 15 minutes from my apartment by bike.
I’m also contemplating getting a longboard, and skateboarding to a lot of places that I tend to frequent. The advantage of a longboard over a bike is that there is no worry about finding a place to lock it up, and potentially having it stolen. I can simply pick it up and carry it inside with me, whenever I leave the street. Plus, I can skateboard on the sidewalk which, at certain times of day, is a lot safer than riding my bicycle on the streets of downtown Edmonton.
People living in Old Strathcona can probably apply a lot of the same ideas in their neighbourhood. Unfortunately, because the city is designed for cars, I’m not sure that my ideas about “green transportation” are practical for most Edmontonians. I might be wrong, though. Maybe there are a lot of Edmontonians, from all areas of the city, who have traded their cars in for more environmentally friendly forms of transportation.
If you’re one of these hypothetical people, let me know. Tell me about how you get around Edmonton without the use of an automobile. Maybe it’s as simple as taking the ETS. Maybe you have an electric bicycle, so you can travel long distances, without having to pedal that entire way.
Whatever it is, if you’ve got a way of getting around Edmonton that doesn’t involve using a traditional motor vehicle, let me know. If we get the word out, maybe we can turn Motor City into a greener place.
You may not be aware of this, but Edmontonians watch a lot of movies. I mean a lot. I remember reading, once, that we watch more movies in the theatre than any other city in North America (per capita). The Cineplex Odeon at South Edmonton Common is, apparently, the flagship theatre for the continent.
For this reason, I will be writing movie reviews from time to time. Today, I’ve got a couple of quickie reviews of some of the movies I’ve seen recently.
The Bourne Ultimatum: If you’re looking for a good action/suspense movie, this is definitely one of the best I’ve seen in a while. I’ve heard the Bourne series referred to as “the thinking man’s action movies,” and, while I’m not a huge of fan of describing things as “the thinking man’s something or other,” I think it fits in this situation. The Bourne Ultimatum is definitely one of the smartest action flicks I’ve seen in a long time, and it’s a great ending to the trilogy. (Rated 4 out of 5.)
The Simpsons Movie: I had expected that the Simpsons Movie wouldn’t be very funny. It turns out that I was correct. It was, essentially, a regular episode of the TV show, except that it was stretched out over 90 minutes, and couldn’t really sustain itself for that long. They didn’t take any risks, and didn’t do anything that would be worth carrying over to the TV series. It had some chuckles, but I’m glad that I saw this movie during a matinée and didn’t pay full price. I recommend waiting for this movie to come out on DVD. If you insist on seeing it on the big screen, wait a month or two and go see it for cheap at Movies 12. (Rated 3 out of 5.)
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