TWITCH: MODERN MAYHEM MOMENT: Calgary Folk Music Festival Preview

MODERN MAYHEM MOMENT: Calgary Folk Music Festival Preview

By Joelle May

 

Ah summer.  The smells of flora and fauna, sunshiny days and warm nights, mosquito bites and sunburns, and not only that, but the most important part; its festival season!!  The line-ups for this years western Canadian music festivals are staggeringly good, and truly exemplify the fact that western Canada has mounds of talent hidden in those Rocky mountains and prairie towns.

 

One of the top festivals in Canada, and likely Calgary’s favorite individual festival, the Calgary Folk Music Festival celebrates 30 years of beautiful music in 2009, and this year’s line-up has as much spunk and diversity as years past, if not more!  Prince’s Island Park sets the stage for such critically acclaimed headliners as Iron and Wine, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Sarah Harmer, Mavis Staples, Loreena McKennitt, The Decemberists and Justin Rutledge, among others.  I spoke to Mark Berube, of Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few, about his upcoming Calgary Folk Music Festival appearance, and here is what he had to say:

 

JM: What is it you look forward to experiencing most at the CFMF?

MB: A totally different side of Calgary that I haven't seen yet.  Yeah, yeah, yeah it has this reputation of money, and oil, and the Red Mile...etc. I'm hoping to see the heart of Calgary.

 

JM: Have you attended the CFMF before?   Favorite past experience with CFMF?  Stories you've heard about CFMF?

MB: It will actually be our first time. I'm really excited about it. Kerry and her crew are great people and the festivals in the past have had some pretty fantastic lineups.

 

JM: What musicians are you looking forward to seeing at CFMF?

MB: Deep Dark Woods, Bell Orchestre, Jolie Holland, Iron and Wine to name a few…

 

JM: After touring "What the Boat Gave The River" for the last year, whats next on the Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few calendar?

MB: We'll be touring across Canada again this fall, then heading to France and Switzerland in November/December to open a few dates for Emily Loizeau, then touring on our own.  We'll most likely be in the studio for the next album in January 2010.

 

JM: If you could be anyone else (other than a performer) at CFMF, what role would you choose?

MB: The person who does sign language and translates for the hearing impaired as the artists sing...if you guys have those folks!!

 

Check out more on Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few (heavily endorsed by yours truly – they are fantastic) at www.markberube.com

 

Although this reporter cannot confirm the employment of translators at CFMF (maybe a good idea for 2010?) the Calgary Folk Music Festival does have an environmental perspective to operate from.  Plate washer is a darn important position as far as volunteering goes, and every plate gets returned without fail as the vendor collects a $2 levy on each plate which is refunded when the plate is turned in to the washers.  Utensils and cups from the beer gardens are made from corn products and are subsequently biodegradable, and there as many recycling bins as there are trash bins throughout the site.  The festival promotes biking or using public transit to get there, as it resides only 5 blocks away from the C-train.  If you plan on attending the CFMF this year, make sure you hike in your tarp, beach-style chairs, snacks and a bit of cash to experience the amazing food vendors and artisan/craft market.  Don’t bring booze!  There’s plenty of it available at the beer gardens, and you’ll just get the stink eye from the volunteers if you get caught sneaking it in.  Most of all though, remember the festival is for everyone’s enjoyment, so have fun and don’t be a butthead.  Nobody likes a butthead.  Enjoy the music and discover your own new favorite artist this year at the Calgary Folk Music Festival!

www.calgaryfolkfestival.com

www.modmaypromotions.com

TWITCH - MUKWAH JAMBOREE 2009

Mukwah Jamboree 2009

camping, music & shenanigans…

by Barnaby Bennett

 

One weekend every summer, the ole’ flat bed truck is moved over to a campsite next to the Red Deer River, tarp is skillfully tied to pine trees, then draped above this make shift truck/stage that numerous artists will grace over the course of the weekend. I am talking about what takes place at the Mukwah Jamboree – a fun filled music festival that happens near Sundre, Alberta on July 17-19. This year’s line-up is full of great bands and includes Azeda Booth, Beija Flor, Ganglion, Kuboaa & Deadhorse alongside perennial Mukwah favorites such as The Firm Handshake & Buena Buya. To keep the crowd moving between bands there will be DJ sets from Vermillion Pleasure Hour, The Medicine People & Pilgrim. And yes, there is rafting available if you book via the website ahead of time!

 

The festival is now in its fourth year and is a highlight of the summer for most who attend. Perhaps this is because they just ended up really haggard, but for the most part it’s because the Mukwah Jamboree offers more to attendees than the usual music festival seems to. Festival organizer Danny Vescarelli believes this is due to the sense of community that flows through the festival – this has helped Mukwah grow, organically, into what it is today. Danny says: “everyone who attends Mukwah each year brings their own thing to the table, and as such, finds out what does and doesn’t work for them while at the fest and usually remember that for next year.”

 

This is why there is always so much going on over the weekend at the Mukwah Jamboree. Whether it be early morning yoga next to the river, campfire singalongs, keg stands at 4 a.m. on Sunday morning or wild psychedelic dance parties – Mukwah is a hotspot for festival fun on your own terms, a true DIY delight. For more information please visit www.mukwahjamboree.com

 

Mix:

Check It Out/Do Or Die – Super Furry Animals

Cinema Olympia – Gal Costa

Love Is Strange – Wings

Liquidator – The Harry J All-Stars

Open My Eyes - Nazz

Club A-Go Go – The Animals

9 O’Clock Business Man – The Peppermint Trolley Company

Alice Designs – Mr. Lucky

Zing! (Went The Strings Of My Heart) – The Move

Summer Means Fun – Bruce & Terry

Good Lovin’ – The Young Rascals

Monolith – T. Rex

 

http://soundcloud.com/the-medicine-people/summer-means-fun-we-love-mukwah-kitschykoo-july-2009

 

NO COLOUR EVER! Kitschykoo! June Issue (Party)

Get those pretty fingers of yours ready for inky smudgy times at Broken City this Saturday night!

The new issue of Kitschykoo! is out finally in its brand new BLACK AND WHITE (no colour ever!) format! Exciting!

Did I mention it is FREE now too?
Anyways, I'll be there with loads of copies so come on down and get smudgy.
xoxo
Kait

Start Time:	Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 6:00pm
End Time:	Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 2:00am
Location:	Broken City Patio
City/Town:	Calgary, AB

Email:

kitschykoomag@hotmail.com

FAB: NOLA DAHL

FAB: NOLA DAHL
photography

Nola is a caffeine addicted fourth year print media major at the Alberta College
of Art and Design. Nola enjoys going on late night outings to leave strange
things in mailboxes/library books/bus seats/etc. for people to find. When not
photographing everything in sight she spends her weekends sorting magic cards
and baking cookies while thinking up mostly true things to write about herself
in the third person.



'I have always been an inhabitant of the city, others like me within these
man-made behemoths constantly influences my praxis. Our methods and abilities
to cope with city life are so unique and varied and, it is the exploration of
this that provides a conceptual basis for my work. Through photo documentation
I record events that occur most often at night when people are attempting to
cope with their place in the city. This could take the form of self-abuse,
abuse of another or even a retreat to the suburbs among other things. My work
reflects our attempts to escape as a futile process as elements of the city
follow us home and invade our privacy.

As an artist I am interested in fluxus and kitsch. As a general rule I believe
art should be public and available to all, unlimited editions, street art,
happenings and curiosity-it’s all about culture. By getting art out into the
public we produce ripples that flow through so many areas. Even if only to a
small degree, even just one person; it is exciting to imagine the impact that
public and street art can have on daily life. If the city is a living entity,
art is its heart.' - Nola Dahl, March 2009

FAB: AIMEE QIU

THE FINE ART OF AIMEE QIU

DECKED: JODIE LEANNE SENTES

DECKED: JODIE LEANNE SENTES
Vintage-inspired Living
By Kait Kucy

A couple months ago, I was brainstorming new topics to include in the relaunching of Kitschykoo! and after coming up with a lengthy list of exciting things currently happening in Urbania, I decided that a feature on fabulous style and interior decorating was in order. I am constantly surrounded by people with impeccable fashion sense and a knack for setting trends, but in our current recessionista nomadic way of life, it is rare you come across a home that is truly put together. After hearing rumour upon rumour that my friend Jodie Leanne Sentes had quite possibly the perfect Vintage Life apartment, I had to drop by and take a look! It was all true. Treasures upon treasures, and all packed neatly into a historic bachelor apartment located in the Mission area of Calgary, AB. Sentes, a local jewellery designer, creates the most whimsical and unique pieces from glasses chains to feathered necklaces and notes that she finds most of her inspiration by her apartment and collections. I sat down with Sentes on a sunny late winter afternoon in her delightful pad, with a fragrant tea light burning and a vintage Santa Claus to my left and really got to know Jodie Leanne Sentes' apartment.

Choose 3 words to describe your apartment’s style.
Cozy. Eccentric. Lovely.

Where do you get your design inspiration from?
More of if I see something, I have to get it. I haven’t tried to match anything up, its all been random purchases. I’m really into little trinkets and miniatures, and you can never have too much stuff, I find. The more packed the better.

Are there any particular eras or ideas you feel yourself growing towards?
I was gravitating towards the 50s and 60s, I definitely have a soft spot though for the 20s. These silk pillows I have, they are from around 20s-40s, and I picked them up from a church sale for a quarter each. I have had them packed away for the longest time, waiting for the right space or apartment, but with this space – anything goes. Anything from the 20s. I have a couple items from the 20s packed away, just waiting to paint my apartment.

What colour are you painting?
I’m going to paint a light green, a retro light green. Its an awesome colour. For this place, the colour is nice and neutral but its not bright enough, especially since I don’t have a lot of sunlight. I have a lot of lamps right now.

Who were your formal influences growing up in terms of style or design?
I would have to say my biggest influence would be my grandma. I’ve been raised by her, and I’ve been doing antiques with her since I was five. I’ve been hanging out and when she would go get a coffee I would sell her stuff. She is a huge influence. She knows what style I have now, like if its pretty crazy and out there, I’ll probably like it. She tends to be more all over the place. She likes the 40s more. Andy Warhol is a big influence as well as Diane Arbus as well as Artist Daniela Kamiliotis.

What is the biggest purchase you ever made?
The matching couch to the chair I currently have in my apartment. It was a 1950s Davenport. You lift up the bottom and it turns into a bed, and it has a storage underneath. I only spent a $100, but is definitely the BIGGEST purchase I made. I have many prized possessions. The elephant lamp is definitely one of my most prized. Original shade, topper…the only thing that’s been replaced is the cord.


You do a lot of jewelry design, do you feel that your personal style and apartments style inspire your creative vision for your jewelry?
Oh for sure. For sure. The colours are all really bright. Colours you wouldn't expect to go together, that really influences me. I have lots of stuff around my apt to give me inspiration. As well as I would like to someday see somebody like: Betsey Johnson, Vivian Westwood or Mary-Kate Olsen flaunting my craft!!



What are you up to in your spare time?
Making jewelry. I go to antique shows, both selling and buying. I like to spend time with friends, go to shows. Hanging out with friends, thats one of my favourite things.

What do you wish you could be doing more of?
I would definitely like to take 6 months off from work, get a mini van and drive to the states. Hit all the small towns, go to random diners, see how much stuff I can fill the van with. Bring it all back and get another bookshelf to fill up. I'd just love to go to these places that have so much stuff, here there is hardly any secondhand stores, Value Village is way overpriced. I'd like to open a store. A coffee shop with local art, move some of my stuff from my apartment into the store. Retro feel. And make more jewelry. I try to make jewelry at work as well as at home. I'll sometimes work on things until 4 in the morning.

Are there any themes that tend to show up in your home?
Yes, there is definitely more than one. I hadn't really noticed until my sister mentioned that she had noticed lots of woodland creatures. Owls, deers.... I have a little squirrel brought back from Chicago. I have a lamp with deers on it. What really gets me is Urban Outfitters. You go on there and you see the same things on the website as you have (the real thing). Everything is coming back in fashion. Its really special to have the authentic object.


What is your dream home like?
I totally want a little house. An old shack. An old creaky, haunted -- something I can fix up. Not much bigger than my apt. I'd like to be in Montreal. A little garden with a picket fence. Maybe two more cats.

How do you feel your apt represents your personality? Cozy, eccentric, and lovely?
Yes, those words work for me, I guess. I am pretty cozy. Definitely. My home and I are one. I am more in love with it everyday.

Where do you think you will go from here? Moving plans? Rearranging?
I was thinking about moving to a one-bedroom apartment, but knowing the history of my friend the previous tenant, having lived here for 17 years -- I can definitely picture myself living here for 17 years. I might rearrange, I might find a way to block my bed and get more bookshelves -- more space. I want to paint, like I said. I have no intentions of moving, besides moving to Montreal in the future. Content with staying here and traveling. This is my home base.

FAB: ASHLEY-ANNE THOMPSON

FAB: ASHLEY-ANNE THOMPSON
dreamlike photography
http://antique-lens.deviantart.com/

HEP: TORONTO PILLOW FIGHT LEAGUE

Toronto Pillow Fight League Takes it to the Mat
By Tracy Stewart

"Fight like a girl!” The cry rings out in the secret underground arena affectionately known as Trash Palace – secret as the location of this fight was only revealed after I’d purchased a ticket, and even with the map on the stub it took some alley-walking and basement-stair-descending to find the place. “Fight like a girl!” signals the start of PFL 26.

The girls of the Toronto Pillow Fight League have been dishing out hits and sassy attitude to rapt audiences at home and across the border since their inaugural event in May of 2006. Since then, the sport of pillow fighting has remained somewhat underground here in Canada, but has made a loud, lipstick-stained entrance into the mainstream lexicon across the border.

“The events at Trash Palace are special,” PFL Founder and CEO Stacey Case told me. “Holding an event like that for a small audience is just fun. But we can go from doing that, to having a bus chartered to take us to do a short fight at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. There we’re playing to over 13,000 people.”

All-girl, all-out, all-too-much-fun, the sport has attitude to spare, with fighters taking on cheeky monikers and sporting even cheekier outfits. The fight I attended saw rookies Courter Pounder, Charley Davidson, and Apocalypstick (to name a few) taking it to the mat in a multi-fight format. Keeping with the spirit of the evening, during her first fight, Ms. Pounder ran over to the concession between rounds to order a hot dog.

All fun aside, don’t let anyone tell you that this isn’t a real sport. These girls train hard, and there are strict rules as to what goes, and what gets you tossed from the ring. The rules are as follows:

1. Female pillow fighters only. No exceptions.

2. Professional pillow fights are won via pinfall, surrender, or referee stoppage. If a pillow fight ends at the time limit with no winner, a winner is declared by a three-judge committee, using the traditional 10 point system. Pillow fighters are judged based on Style, Stamina, and the Eye of the Tiger*.

3. Pillow fighting is Fun. No biting, scratching, or hair pulling. Malicious intent and blatant disregard of your opponent's safety (or your own) may result in immediate suspension and/or dismissal from the League.

4. Mouth guards, knee pads and elbow pads are mandatory.

5. Bearing in mind Rule #3, most anything goes in a pillow fight, as long as there is a pillow at the point of contact. Preventing your opponent's offense by holding her pillow is not allowed.

6. Pillow fighters must practice good sports-womanship. No rude, lewd, or suggestive behavior.

7. A pillow is not a weapon. Deliberately compressing the pillow fibres to increase the density of the pillow is not allowed. Loading a pillow with any foreign object is strictly forbidden.

I was told to watch closely for the Eye of the Tiger, best defined as the fighter’s sheer will to win. That killer look used to topple one’s opponent. In close fights, the Eye of the Tiger is usually the tie-breaker.

So where does the PFL go from here? Stacey has had very clear plans for the league since day one. “It was conceived as a television show. And it’s still designed that way to this day. I see the show coming together as episodic television, with stories revolving around things like the fighters, the refs, and the business of the league.” Each fight is taped on high-definition, and Stacey keeps a bible of scripts for each episode – ready for the day when a network picks up on his vision. Until then, you’ll just have to hope the ladies of the PFL will soon be coming to your town.

Can’t see them live? Check out the Toronto PFL at gopfl.com .


1. Champain VS Carmen Monoxide - photo Dawn Weaver
2. Laina Beaton VS Charley Davidson - photo Stephanie Nixon
3. Charley Davidson VS PhDemon - photo Stephanie Nixon

TWITCH: Issue #5 of MONGREL ZINE - NOW OUT

www.mongrelzine.ca

CHEAP TINY ADS! $10 - LAST MINUTE OFFER

hiya kitschykoo! pals!

i am doing a LAST MINUTE AD OFFER for kitschykoo! for the relaunch in June! Tiny 1" x 2" ads for only $10!!

$10! $10! $10! $10! $10!

Requirements:
Black and White
1" x 2" horizontal or vertical
$10
Send in Jpeg format to kitschykoomag@hotmail.com

cheers
Kait

TWITCH: FLEMISH EYE BALL - MAY 16 @ RCL

TWITCH TWITCH TWITCH
YOU DONT WANNA MISS THIS GIG AT THE #1 ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, DOWNTOWN CALGARY - MAY 16!
CHAD VANGAALEN, WOMEN, PALE AIR SINGERS, GHOSTKEEPER, AND A SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE BY THE ONE AND ONLY JULIE DOIRON!

FAB: Yes, Lisa Brawn is FAB

VOTE FOR LISA BRAWN
The fabulous Lisa Brawn, an amazing woodcut artist hailing from this sweet little town called Calgary is currently in a car competition! Yes, she is a NASCAR racer too! No, not really. She is in the running to win a Nissan Hypercube. Its a competition between the top 500 most creative people in Canada, juried by Nissan. Only 50 are chosen to win their own Hypercube and here is your chance to vote for Lisa Brawn! She is currently #30 and you can help her get to the top! I heard rumours she is taking all supporters for a joy ride in the Hypercube to Peter's Drive In for shakes and onion rings. Vote now and vote everyday!
xoxo Kait

--> http://tinyurl.com/c6zjmg

HEP: DRINK STEAMWHISTLE!

It is tasty and fresh, and maybe even HEALTHY! And it comes in a green bottle, so go GREEN! Steamwhistle is an amazing supporter of arts and music across Canada, so support them! Steamwhistle is available at all Kitschykoo! Magazine events! DRINK STEAMWHISTLE!

FAB: JON PETERS

FAB: JON PETERS
PHOTOGRAPHY

My work deals with topics I want to examine, and I have a background in political science, so they're usually politically motivated. My last series dealt with urban decay, and it's relationship with creativity. The work published in this book is more esthetic than anything else, but I've always got something to say. This work is a mini-series called "Familiar Places" and I wanted to photograph familiar places in a way that makes them seem unfamiliar or alien. The common thread in all of this is that I'm always saying something. I always want to challenge people looking at my work to view things in a different way. I really value the relationship between artist and viewer. (Interview by Kait Kucy for Offbeat art book, release date TBA).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpeters-photography/

TWITCH: JACK HARLAN

LOVE COME AROUND
BY A.R. Howerton

Jack Harlan is a Canadian folk-rocker who has made his way from coast to coast, starting in Calgary, dominating the Vancouver scene and slowly moving east until landing in Niagara Falls, where he now steadily works both sides of the falls and has become invested in US culture as much as in his native Canadiana.

On LOVE COME AROUND, Harlan’s fifth album and third indie release, his down-home folk sensibilities are focused primarily on protest songs, a subset of folk that has long been associated primarily with the revolutionary 60’s. The truth is that protest songs have been a part of folk music since the dawn of time and Jack Harlan reminds us of this by creating throwbacks to the songs of the Great Depression, especially the dusty rambles of Haywire Mac, the social laments of Woody Guthrie and the political awareness of Lead Belly.

Jack Harlan wears all of those influences, and more, on his sleeves. He’s been compared to Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Loudon Wainwright and has been labeled some variation of ‘the new Dylan’ time and time again. Thankfully, homage never degrades into imitation. Harlan adheres to the raw acoustic guitar/vocal techniques of his forebears and uses the style to great effect. Soul-searching songs of salvation, workin’ man’s laments, and good, ol’ fashioned love ballads flow together to create a dark velvet sea of emotion that is not only good for what ails ye, but is also endlessly listenable.

There are several tracks dealing with the American situation in the New Century. Economy Of Love, the lead-off track, is a ballsy plea for community and social sensibility to overtake the interests of a corrupt government. Secret Behind The Sun is a hard look at the poverty, hopelessness and ‘ashes of American dreams’ that have steadily risen to choke out the US in the wake of the Bush administration. Those songs of revolution flow in and out of heartfelt urgings to ‘start your revolution’, the original title and the main message of LOVE COME AROUND. The haunting This Time Around takes shades of recent pop culture and spins them into a quietly stated message of personal rebellion. Down From The Mountain and Be Not Your Failures are decidedly more uptempo numbers, but no less inspiring. The message is clear and true and good. Jack Harlan is urging us all to step up, be counted and make our mark for ourselves, our community and our world. Be good and you will be free. It is a powerful message that, while by no means new to folk music, has never been more urgently needed.



Check it out at http://www.jackharlan.com/music.htm

And order LOVE COME AROUND on
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Come-Around-Jack-Harlan/dp/B001EGFWH0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1234378025&sr=1-1

Or at http://cdbaby.com/cd/jackharlan2

ACEFACE: Jennea Frischke

ACEFACE: JENNEA FRISCHKE
Story & Photos By Harvey Hinton

Once upon a time, when one wanted to purchase a copy of the long-out-of-production Mad Magazine Game (Parker Brothers, 1979), one had to trudge though innumerable yard sales run by shady families who treated every overpriced, chipped novelty mug and piece of tarnished costume jewellery as if it were their firstborn child’s bronzed baby shoes. Now, one can find such a rare and hilarious item located near the bottom of a small stack of similarly strange board games in local kitsch merchant Jennea Frischke’s room in the Curious Cat Antiques Mall.

“I’ve always had an interest in vintage,” said Frischke, 25, “My mom, I was really lucky (that she) saved all her vintage clothing, so when I moved into junior high that‘s when I started to be able to fit into her old clothes.

“I started wearing it when I was quite a bit younger and we would go to thrift stores a lot. That‘s just kind of what my mom and I did.”

Those mother-daughter excursions to local thrift stores, which combined with her mother’s experience and taste with Frischke’s own developing sense of esthetics and self-education in the study of fashion, eventually led to the founding of their shared Antiques Mall room, named “Necessarys” by the Frischke matriarch.

“The last five years is when I‘ve actually been selling stuff” said Frischke, the topic of her store rendering her eyes almost effulgent with excitement behind a pair of glasses with black metal frames styled to resemble a kind of amalgam of wrought iron and lacework. “It started out as just a little, tiny display case at the Antiques Mall with my mom, and now we’ve had a room for a year.

“My mom and I used to go (into the Antiques Mall), and then one day we just asked how much it would be for a space and that we’d like to start small,” she added. “There’s always a little bit of space in the Mall.”

Frischke has also been participating in Calgary’s community-building Market Collectives as a vendor since last January.

The search for the perfect items with which to fill her shelves (and garage, which doubles as a makeshift storage space), such as a particularly eye-popping enamelled copper brooch featuring a brightly coloured pheasant, lead Frischke on pre-Kingdom of the Crystal Skull era George Lucas-worthy treasure hunts all across the city. “I go to flea markets, auctions, garage sales, thrift stores,” said Frischke, “Also, sometimes people will let me know if they want to get rid of some stuff, and I’ll go over.”


Frischke hunts for all manner of antique items, some produced as recently as the 1980s, though most from the 1940s-50s. Among her favourite items are Bakelite purses and house wares, avian jewellery and statuettes, and “big-eyed” art popularized by Margaret Keane.

“There’s one doll that I kinda want to get sometime, called “Little Miss No Name,” said Frischke of the object of her morbid longing. “I don’t think I’ll get it because it’s so creepy, but it was made in the 60s and she actually came in a box and she had this paper bag on her, and she had a tear on her face, and her had was outreached for money.

“You can’t find them in mint condition because kids were so upset by the doll that they would rip the tear off or cut her hair or put her in real clothes. They’re so expensive, and really creepy, but I really like them and think that there’s something really endearing about them.”

In light of her concern about the rarity of unaltered dolls, it is important to note that Frischke often modifies items to make them more saleable, though such items are always marked as having being changed from their original condition.

Arguably more challenging than actually finding antique clothing, furniture, knickknacks, gimcracks, baubles, and gewgaws is the task of putting a price on items which are often exceedingly rare, or rich with historical significance. The difficult nature of this business requirement is compounded by the fact that customers cannot haggle over set prices as in a flea market, as store owners are not actually present in the Antiques Mall, which is staffed by two cashiers at the entrance. “I use a lot of collector’s books as references, and sometimes I’ll go and spend a day looking around the Antiques Mall just to get comparisons for prices.

“Sometimes something could sell for more somewhere else, and you can’t get that price in Calgary.” As of press time the most expensive item sold by Frischke at Necessarys was a set of three attached orange plastic seats for approximately $500, though the store also stocks items at nearly all price points.

Customers come in all age groups as well, with young adults and hip baby boomers mingling in direct opposition to the antiquated (and unfashionable) idea of the packrat bag lady. “I’m not really sure what kind of crowd we draw at the Mall, because I don’t really work there, (but the Market) varies,” said Frischke. “I get a lot of younger girls, to people in their forties and fifties who are looking for something that they saw that reminds them of when they were kids.”

In addition to Necessarys, which requires an estimated average of two hours per week in stocking and maintenance time, Frischke also works part time at Diner Deluxe, as a clothes picker of nearly two years experience working in for Denmark vintage clothing store “Wasteland,” and as a summer instructor of bead-making and clothing modification courses for teenagers at ACAD during the summer.

In the coming months, Frischke plans to set up her own online store, to be called Piccala Vintage, on Etsy.com, as well as set off on a month-long road trip/supply run to Portland and Seattle with her boyfriend (a VHS collector) in the beginning of June.

Jennea Frischke’s website address is www.jennea-frischke.digital-arts.ca The Curious Cat Antiques Mall, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all week, is located at 510 77th Ave. S.E.

TWITCH: DAVID BYRNE

ONCE IN A LIFETIME PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP
By Bad Tempered Zombie

David Byrne
Jack Singer Concert Hall
February 23/09

David Byrne is still inventive, still relevant, still has incredible pipes, and I would hazard to guess that he is still the man whom many heterosexual men crush on.

We had seats up in the nosebleeds of the second balcony for the David Byrne concert last night, but they turned out to provide a rather fabulous overview of the spectacle that ultimately unfolded on the stage. Dressed from head to toe in stark white, including Mr Byrne's fabulous shock of hair, the eleven band members, including three dancers, put on a gloriously avant-garde extravaganza, which was joyously received by the packed house.

The show kicked off with a funky rendition of the latest David Byrne/Brian Eno single Strange Overtones, and the menu for the night featured selections from the current Byrne/Eno collaboration, as well as drawing from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, and of course from those incredible Talking Heads albums.

Given David Byrne's senior statesman of music status, I have to admit I was rather expecting a singer-songwriter evening, but nothing could have been further from reality. This was a SHOW, a highly choreographed mélange of music and theatre and experimental ballet, strange and beautiful. For a musical concert, especially one in monochrome, it was an intensely visual experience. There was always something intriguing happening on stage, whether it was the dance during Life is Long which had the three dancers and Byrne rolling about on office chairs, a finale with everyone on stage donning a white tutu, or that incredible moment during Once in a Lifetime when the boy dancer leap-frogged over David Byrne's head, and all the while Byrne paused not his singing and guitar playing.

Although visually David Byrne could easily have passed as a cult leader, dressed all in white as he was and with that commanding presence of his, he was anything but autocratic during the performance. Often, he would blend in with the dancers or the singers and mimic their movements, or fade to the background of the stage while the dancers took over centre stage.

The audience was dancing gleefully in the aisles during the entire second half of the performance and joyfully clapping along with all their favourite Talking Heads numbers. I'm pretty certain that if David Byrne had offered up kool-aid and a chance to ascend to the mother ship, at least 75% of the audience would have taken a drink. Never before have I seen three encores at a concert. I expect it will be a long while before I do again.

http://www.badtemperedzombie.blogspot.com

kaitkaboom in BROKEN PENCIL magazine from TORONTO

hi pals!

 i was interviewed by broken pencil magazine about the recession. click the link to check it out! 

xo kait

http://www.brokenpencil.com/features/feature.php?featureid=117

RE-LAUNCH

Kitschykoo! Subcultural Lifestyle Magazine is set to be re-launched by the end of March 2009! In a brand-new recession themed format, Kitschykoo! has ditched the colourful glossy pages of days past and has turned to a inky black + white newsprint tabloid style of publication. Now featuring "NO COLOUR EVER", Kitschykoo! is still your number one Calgary publication for all that is underground in art/culture/music -- along with a style and people section!

Stay tuned for re-launch party details!


NEW RECESSION AD SPECIALS

Kitschykoo! has turned into a recessionista-friendly magazine! We are now showcasing RECESSION BUSTER ad specials! Small businesses, big businesses, EVERYONE can afford a Kitschykoo! Ad! Be sure to sign up for yours today! Contact Kait @ kitschykoomag@hotmail.com for more details. Deadline for ADS for the re-launch issue is March 5.



CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!

Kitschykoo! is looking for new content! Art/Style/Music/Culture/People/Home submissions accepted. Please send all pitches or submissions to kitschykoomag@hotmail.com. Deadline for the re-launch issue is March 5.



Cheers!
kait kucy, editor/publisher

http://kitschykoomag.blogspot.com

Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever
Exploding Pigs/The Pine Tarts/The Ex-Boyfriends
@ HIFI Club
January 10, 2008
BY KAIT KUCY

Cabin fever. Boredom, restlessness, or irritability that results from a lack of environmental stimulation, as from a prolonged stay in a remote, confined indoor area. This sounds like, essentially, what Calgary’s rocknrollers have been suffering from after an extremely long bout of holiday shows in dark wooden Canadiana-inspired venues such as Broken City and The Palomino Social Club. This past Saturday, the HIFI Club opened up its doors to those “bohemian hipsters” which normally frequent the bars mentioned above. Featuring fantastic inspirational wolf projections, the disc-jockey stylings of the evercurrent Noah York, and the club kid photographs of New York’s Scott Furkay, Saturday night’s partiers were treated to an entirely adult downtown atmosphere. Which, of course, one should enjoy once and a while.

Those spontaneously combusting meatpackers, Exploding Pigs opened the night up with classically gyrating hips, winks to the crowd, and incredibly distasteful lyrics. Front man Mark Igglesden’s use of percussion instruments really is quite impressive. Everything from a mariachi, to a tambourine, to a kazoo that apparently doesn’t work but is brought along to every show relentlessly, is employed to create a hilarious stage show. However, the average audience member doesn’t always realize the mass wisdom and musical genius behind each and every Exploding Pigs song. For cryin’ out loud, “Kooky Kooky” is more than just a one-hit wonder. It’s truly an iconic testimonial of the unending appreciation and love men have for homemade porn videos.

Recently turned all-boy band, the glorious Pine Tarts hit the velvet-curtained stage next. With pulsing guitar riffs and sweet-as-salt lyrics, lead singer Jesse Powell fiercely plowed through their set list, as well as the hearts of the superfans that littered the crowd. Not looking back once, the Tarts played a couple older favourites, some instrumental splendors, and some brand spanking new sonnets hopefully due out on their next release. As per usual, man-about-town Scott Macklam crawled on stage to hand deliver Pine Tarts records and handcrafted t-shirts to the merch-hungry mob.

Heartthrob rockers The Ex-Boyfriends started their set in a rather shy subdued manner, only to break out moments later into crowd-engaging movements. Djewel launched himself several times into the crowd serenading them blindly whilst the backing band posed in various erotic stances. The phrase “Be my boyfriend again!” was uttered several times during the rock explosion, but I could never quite get a glimpse of whom this regretful dumper was. The evening finished off with a rambunctious dance party when all HIFI guests who held back during the live portion of the night descended en masse to the dance floor. All in all, the HIFI provided an elevated sense of sophistication to a crowd most accustomed to a splintered wooden floor, bartender flare, or a cider splashed in the face.