Imprint_2010-02-12_v32_i26A

ConneCting UW to the loCal CommUnity throUgh art, entertainment, & CUltUre

Cl Ck TowerFebruary 12, 2010 issue 3

Expanding Valentine’s Day Options

Where Science Meets Art

Affordable Fine Dining?

2 Clock Tower — Friday, February 12, 2010

Friday, February 12, 2010Issue 3

Student Life Centre, Room 1116University of WaterlooWaterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca

IMPRINTThe University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Cl Ck Tower

CloCkTower ediTor Dinh Nguyen

CloCkTower AssisTAnT

Michael Chung

Imprint EICMichael L. Davenport

ProduCTion sTAff

Dinh NguyenMichael ChungPaula Trelinska

Steve CutlerAlcina Wong

Deanna OstafichukSarah Rogalla

Lauren Strybos (cupcakes)

GrAPhiCs TeAmAlcina Wong

develoPmenT TeAm

Dinh NguyenPaula Trelinska

Deanna OstafichukSarah RogallaSteve Cutler

Michael Chung Erin Oldynski

Nathan SnelgroveMichael Shao

Ariel Fernandez

lAyouT And desiGn

Dinh NguyenMichael Chung

CloCkTower Cover

Steve Cutler

In the December 4, 2009 issue of ClockTower I wrote a let-ter inviting you, the readers

to further the development of the magazine insert by offering feedback. Thank you to the many people who took the time to do so.

Though there were many praises, the most common criti-cisms were the quality of print paper and the limited amount of content.

Currently, for various reasons, there is not much we can do about the quality of paper ClockTower is printed on, but there have been talks of eventually being able to. As for the second concern, not only is the Imprint Arts and Entertainment Team working to increase content count in each issue, but we are also working to improve the quality of that con-

tent to make it even more relevant to students. In this issue alone we have eliminated the T.V shows and DVD reviews to make room for more local reporting. Also, some page layouts has been redesigned to make the content stand out. Though it may seem like there aren’t as many event listing pages as before, it is simply an illusion. Some elements of the event page has been changed to make it more readable, as well the listings has become cleanly compacted so that there is more information on each page. If all goes well, we will be publishing two more issues of ClockTower this term. And since ClockTower is always developing, as always, we would like to invite you to send in feedback and letters to the editor. By doing so we hope to create a forum of discussion

and discourse. After all, what is art without community?

Dinh NguyenArts And EntErtAinmEnt Editor

Tick Tocks: local evenT guide..........................3,10,16Puala Trelinska & Sarah Rogella

From clockTower wiTh love..................................4,5Sarah Rogalla

Beyond The cupBoards: cariBBean cuisine..............6,7 Dinh Nguyen & Deanna Ostafichuk

a place near you: phoTo display............................8,9Michael Chung

inTerview wiTh The urBan monks..................11,12,13Nathan Snelgrove

hackerspace: where arT meeTs science.............14,15 Erin Old ynski

Arts and Entertainment 3

tic tocs

Friday, February 12

I.R.I.S. PRESENTS: THE STARS HERE CD RELEASE PARTY Boathouse 10 p.m. $5, $10 with CD

KWS POPS: CLASSIC SONGS OF LOVE Centre In The Square 8 p.m.

BEHIND THE MILK WITH DJ CHARLES Starlight 10 p.m.$5 cover after 11 p.m.

QUASAR SAXIOGIBE QUARTETKW Music Room 8p.m.$15 cover after 11 p.m.

Saturday, February 13

GLOBAL WARMING Starlight 10 p.m.No Cover

Monday, February 15

DANNY MICHEL Jane Bond 8 p.m.$12 in advance

tueSday, February 16

OPEN MIC NIGHT Maxwell’s Music HouseNo cover

OPEN STAGE Boathouse8 p.m.

K-OS Starlight 9 p.m.$25 in advance

WedneSday. February 17


thurSday, February 18


NORTHERN SOUNDS AND CHAM-PAGNE SOCIAL CLUB Maxwell’s Music House

Friday, February 19

LITTLE SUNDAY, LOW LEVEL FLIGHT AND SEA TO SKY Maxwell’s Music House 9 p.m. $5 with Watcard

BAD, BONG WATER AND BOYS Boathouse 9 p.m. $2



BRAIN MACMILLAN, CRUSH LUTHER Maxwell’s Music House 9 p.m.$5 with Watcard


BENNY BENASSI Tabu Nightclub 11 p.m.

Sunday, February 21

MISS ANGEL AND THE HOMEW-REACKERS Boathouse 3 p.m.

DUSTIN JONES AND THE RISING TIDE Boathouse 9 p.m.

tueSday, February 2316


Music thurSday, February 25

PAT ROBITAILLE, THE DONEFORS Maxwell’s Music House8 p.m.$8 at door

Friday, February 26

RADIO LAURIER PRESENTS: COMMON-VALE, FOLLOW THE FLEET Maxwell’s Music House9 p.m.$5 at door

BUSTED FLAT Boathouse$5

KWS POPS: ITALIAN JOURNEY Centre In The Square 8 p.m.



STEREO GOES STELLAR, THE LESSION, AND MICHOU Maxwell’s Music House 9 p.m.$5

KWS POPS: ANIMALS! Centre In The Square 2:30 p.m.

KWS POPS: ITALIAN JOURNEY Centre In The Square 8 p.m.


Sunday, February 28

MISS ANGEL AND THE HOMEWREACK-ERS Boathouse 3 p.m.

Monday, MarCh 1 WEAK SIZE FISH Maxwell’s Music House

tueSday, MarCh 2


WedneSday, MarCh 3

BASS LIONS: CD RELEASE PARTY WITH THE MONSTER SHOW Maxwell’s Music House

thruSday, MarCh 4


Movies@ Princess twin


L’ELISIR D’AMORE: OPERA IN HD10 :30 a.m.


MOVIES FOR MOMMIES: CRAZY HEART1 p..m., deCeMber 5


TOONS FOR TODDLERS

10 :30 a.m, deCSunday, deCeMber 6@ Princess cinema

Friday, February 12

ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG)4:40 p.m.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS - HEART MAT-TERS FLIM SCREENING (PG)7 p.m.

ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG)9 p.m.

WedneSday, deCeMber 9

Princess: — The Boys are Back — 7 p.m. — The Collapse — 9:10

cont’d on page 10

4 Clock Tower

Sarah Rogallareporter

Valentine’s Day is definitely a day for making reservations and pre-ordering as there

will be many other people wanting the same things as you do for your sweetheart.

You only have two choices for this Valentine’s Day. The first is staying in and the second is going

out. Now that you have that figured out you have two more choices the first to have a fun outgoing day and the second is to have a more subdued romantic night (it is possible to do both). Alright now here are some more choices: Staying in

Making a nice meal would be a wonderful idea, there are numerous

websites, like Canadian Living, that can help you out along the way, as well as the cooking channel. Being able to see someone make a meal always makes it easier, another good thing YouTube is good for. Salads are a simple way of making a dinner fancy, using mixed greens, adding sunflower seeds and garnishing with a strawberry will make it look great.

Having wine with your din-ner is nice as well, if you are of

age. Don’t be afraid to ask the employees at the LCBO what they think would go well with your meal. Usually white wines go well with fish and chicken while red goes well with pastas and dark meats. The Staff are great help for keeping everything within budget as well.

If you have trouble choosing music for your meal a great website is www.musicovery.com, where

From ClockTower with Love

Photo by Steve Cutler

<3

From left to right: Vanessa Martin and Reagan Cook


you can choose the mood, genre and era of music you prefer. Personally, for a romantic dinner I find a positive, calm jazz to be just what is needed.

For dessert, the city will be able to help you out. There are many affordable pastry and chocolate shops in the area that will have Valentine’s Day specials, such as the French shop Sablétine. Here they offer a special of four croissants (two chocolate and two butter), a cake for two, and your choice of truffles or chocolate covered strawberries for $24. Do note that this deal needs to be ordered in advance.

Giving flowers may seem a bit expected and overdone but it’s not. A flower can be kept for days, which will let your loved one have a symbol of how much you care about them. Beware, the price for roses tends to sky-rocket around this time. There are some places that are relatively well priced like Sobey’s as well as Vincenzo’s. There are also high end places scattered around town, like Lilies White Flower & Gift Shop, Raymond’s Flower Shop, I.C. Flowers, and Hearts & Flow-ers at Westmount. If you’re on a budget or time constraint then you can ask for the disgardedro-

ses (some get bruised or cut too short) and spread the petals on the table. Don`t be restricted to just the table, they also float very well in water. (A cautionary note to math students: remove stems and thorns as they do not float and will put a real damper on the evening). Again remember to pre-order them, otherwise there will be a very long wait, which may turn out to be fruitless.

After dinner is finished and the two of you are still wanting to stay in, renting a movie can be very romantic and can initiate some cuddling. Jumbo Video has a section devoted to Valentine’s Day. This allows you to have a wider selection of films rather than being forced into seeing only what is in the theatres. Going for a walk under the stars can be perfect too with the two of you huddled together as walk-ing through the snowy streets. Going out

Waterloo has a number of incredible restaurants. Unfortu-nately they can quickly become expensive for students. For a romantic atmosphere with ex-cellent value for your buck, En-nio’s along King st. is a perfect

place to go. The Rain Tree in the Phil`s Plaza also has a great atmosphere of its own and isn’t very expensive. The Keg, just down from Ennio’s, can get a bit more expensive. Nevertheless, it is a wonderful place to have a fancy meal that won’t break your wallet. For a spicy night there’s Masala Bay, Thai Sun and Pho Ben Thanh (a very inexpensive place that is always satisfying). There is also the Princess Café, where the two of you can have a starter, main course, dessert, coffee and a movie for $20 each.

There are many places for deserts and coffee in the area, especially in Uptown Waterloo. There are places like Symposium with their delectable cakes, A Matter of Taste with the second best coffee in Ontario (it’s a must try if you haven’t already) and Café 1842. There is also Williams, Bubble Tease and Booster Juice near campus for drinks.

Afterwards the two of you can go for an evening stroll along the boardwalk in Waterloo Park, go stargazing, or see a movie at the Princess or Galaxy. Instead of Dancing With the Stars you could be skating under them with your star in Waterloo Town Square or Kitchener City Hall.

What to do during the day?

If you are looking for a unique romantic date during the day, the Wings of Paradise Butterfly Conservatory in Cambridge can be magical. There is also cross country skiing available in Laurel Creek, where they rent all of the equipment that you’ll need for $12. If you have never done it before, there are lessons on the previous Sunday and Wednesday at Bechtel Park between 11am-2pm.

If you feel like being a bit more artistic, there is improv at the But-ton Factory at 4pm for a small fee. There are also drum circles there every other Sunday from 7:30-9:30 for $2, but you need to bring your own drum. The two of you could also spend the afternoon at Mud-worx painting a piece of pottery for one another, or pay a visit to the Canadian Clay and Glass Museum in Uptown Waterloo. There is also a play happening in Elmira called Moonlight & Magnolias for an easy price of $18.

More active things to do could including rock climbing, bowling, mini putt, snowboarding, and hiking along the beautiful Elora Gorge. Don’t forget there are always the regular bars and clubs in the area.

Steve Cutler

6 Clock Tower

Beyond the cupboards

Being of East Asian decent, and being extremely selective when it comes to food quality, I rarely

have Asian food while dining out. I hold all East Asian cuisine higher standards, and so on the few occasions that I do dine Asian, I am usually disappointed. Fortunately for me, Northern Thai has points north on the food meter.

The family business that first made its debut as a reservation-only fine dining restaurant in 1997, has since changed its direction to become more affordable and accessible to the larger public’s taste buds. Though Northern Thai has altered their recipes and food presentation to better gear to the Americanized East Asian food scene, they still maintain authentic Thai flavour in their food. The only difference is that now, the spicy and umami levels of their dishes has significantly decreased, and broccoli, carrots, cauliflowers and long beans have been added to many dishes. MSG is no longer used and fish sauce, and nuts can be left out if requested. The price per dish is no longer $16 to $20, but $4 to $8 for appetizers and dessert, and $10 to $14 for main dishes.

At first glance lack of organiza-tion, stretched pictures, and silly phrases like “zooming to Thai-land,” which all appear on their menu, frame the restaurant to be unpromising. This sets the mood for diners to be adequately impressed when tasting the actual food. The Tom Yum (lemon grass) soup and the Tom Kha Gai (coconut chicken soup) is fully seasoned in a mixture of Thai spices (including chilli pep-pers, green onions, and lemon grass) and vegetables. These soups are served hot and they leave a tingling mild spicy aftertaste in the throat — ideal to have when experiencing symptoms of colds. The coconut shrimp comes in six and is served on a bed of crunchy vermicelli. Unlike most places, they are not soggy but are crispy and filled with a coconut aroma and flavour. The shrimps are cleanly gutted and are decently large, ear sized. The mango and papaya salad are made fresh, and are served with a tangy refreshing

Thai fish sauce dressing. They are topped with crushed peanuts and full cashews and are arranged to look vibrantly colourful. New fruits are prepared with each salad order, a which give the dishes their colour.

Perhaps the one thing that makes Northern Thai stand out from most Thai restaurants in the tri-citiy area is their use of fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch recipes. Unlike Ben Thanh all their main dishes are prepared with store-bought not frozen vegetables.

The main dishes come in large portions and, with the appetizer, are sometimes too much for one person to eat. If you order an appetizer and plan to indulge on dessert, it is wise to set some food aside to take home. Northern Thai offers a variety of seafood, curry, stir-fry and noodle dishes for their main courses. The curries are often made from the same savoury base, and from there, different spices are added to create different dishes. I recommend or-dering jasmine rice on the side for a more authentic East Asian dining experience. I also recommend the basil beef curry which has a subtly sweet, yet meaty taste to it. The Pad Thai, like most of Northern Thai’s noodle dishes, is available in five levels of spiciness. The noodles are not overcooked, and there is a hint of sweet ketchup in it, which complements the spiciness (usually I would be disgusted with the thought of putting ketchup into Asian food, but in this case, it works).

The drink menu consists of a small variety of beer, including Co-rona and Shenga (a Thai beer), and an assortment of wines, teas and soft drinks. When asked for about the most Thai cuisine inspired beverage they had, I was introduced to a Thai iced coffee. It was nothing special. The iced coffee tasted like any other iced coffee, but made with a hint of condensed milk. Northern Thai’s drink menu was not impressive, but there is one redeeming factor: The teas (including green and ginger) and water were listed as free.

Out of everything on their menu,

Northern Thai 95 Queen Street South Kitchener ON

519-745-4451

Business HourMondays 11 a.m. to 9p.m.

Tuesdays to Fridays 11 a.m. to 10 p.mSaturdays 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Zooming to Thailand

photos by Dinh nguyen

Friday, February 12, 2010 — Arts and Entertainment 7

Out of everything on their menu, one thing will keep me com-ing back to Northern Thai: their mango sticky rice dessert. If you have had Ben Thanh’s sticky rice and thought it was heavenly, be prepared to try true decadence. The mango sticky rice here is prepared the same way as it is at Spring Rolls (sticky rice and mango are separated) but it is far more complex. Unlike Ben Thanh or Spring Rolls, Northern Thai’s sticky rice is infused with a light dash of coconut syrup and does not include coconut milk. The mango is put on top of a thin layer of honey and is brushed with a hint of coconut sugar syrup. The rice is served hot and is somewhat mushy, while the mango is cool. It is not too ripe and still has the slightly sweet and sour crunch. Though no eating instruc-tions are provided, taking one bite of the hot rice and then washing it down with a cool piece of mango afterwards, allows diners to not get tired of the dish and interact with their food through the sense of feeling as well as taste. The mango in itself is a must try experience, this is the true definition of sensa-tional. Even when my stomach is on the verge of hurting from too much food, the mango sticky rice is easily worth the pain, and is easily one you’ll indulge in out habit right after the first few bites.

Northern Thai is one of those places that is relaxed . The dining area is narrow but long, and there is always calming Thai music playing. If you plan on visiting, I suggest going for dinner. The lunch hour is far too busy, but at dinner, there will be two or three tables filled at most. It is the perfect place for a business meeting, intimate encoun-ter, or date. The manager and staff are positive and lively. During my first visit, friendly conversations with the chef, waiter, and store owner easily made Northern Thai a highlight in my book.

— Dinh Nguyen

Beyond the Cupboard food reviews are based on anonymous and unannounced visits. Reviewers are not endorsed by the restaurants.

Deanna Ostafichukstaff reporter

When eating a traditional Thai meal, one would most likely be served either one dish, or rice accompanied with

a number of complementary dishes all at once. Meals are often served with a large number of sauces and condiments, such as phrik nam pla, made of fish sauce, chilies and garlic. For the most part, the dishes would always be comple-mentary and contrasting, in both ingredients and methods of preparation. Often to wash away the spicy flavour of many of the dishes, cucumber would be eaten. To cool down the flavour, plain or sticky rice, or rice noodles could be eaten alongside the dish.

One thing that most people would assume is that the Thai people typically eat with chop-sticks like their neighbours in China and Japan. However Thailand has had the fork for over 80 years, although not used in the same fashion as us. They use their forks to push food into the spoon, which is then brought to the mouth.The only time that chopsticks are used is when eating noodle soup, and are otherwise left untouched.

Pad Thai, which has been called “The Na-

tional Dish of Thailand,” can be translated to Thai style stir fry. A dish which is not commonly found cooking in the home kitchens of Thailand, is likely to be bought for lunch, dinner or a late night option, from street vendors or restaurants. Featuring the contrasting flavours and textures present in Thai cuisine, is sweet, sour, and salty, as well as being soft and crunchy.

From the days when Pad Thai was brought to the ancient Thai capital by Vietnamese traders, it has evolved to the Pad Thai that is available almost everywhere in the world. In the 1930s and 1940s the prime minster of Thailand launched a campaign to reduce the consumption of rice, as a result of the country’s dependence on rice exports. A noodle-based dish would clearly be favourable to this campaign, as such the Thai government started to educate the poor of their country in the production of rice noodles. Fol-lowing World War II, the government promoted making a living producing rice noodles and operating noodle shops, this spurred not only the popularity of rice noodles but as well as Pad Thai. Throughout the ages, Pad Thai has lived on and invaded the rest of the world.

[email protected]

• 2/3 cup chicken stock • 1/2 cup ketchup• 1/4 cup fish sauce • 2 tbsp (granulated sugar• 2 tbsp cornstarch • 1 tsp grated lime rind• 2 tbsp lime juice • 1 tsp hot pepper sauce• 4 tsp vegetable oil • 2 eggs, lightly beaten• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced • 4 carrots, thinly sliced • 1 sweet red pepper, sliced • 2 cloves garlic, minced• 1 tbsp minced gingerroot • 2 cups bean sprouts• 2 green onions, sliced • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Authentic PAd-thAi

1. In large bowl, soak noodles in warm water for 20 minutes; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together stock, ketchup, fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch, lime rind and juice and hot pepper sauce; set aside.2. In wok or large skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium heat; cook eggs, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until scrambled and set. Transfer to plate. Wipe out wok; add remaining oil. Brown chicken, in batches, over medium-high heat. Transfer to separate plate.3. Add carrots, red pepper, garlic and ginger to pan; cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Add noodles; stir gently for 1 minute. Return chicken to pan. Stir sauce and pour into pan; cook, stirring,for 3 minutes or until thickened, noodles are tender and chicken is no longer pink inside.4. Return egg mixture to wok along with bean sprouts; toss gently for 1 minute or until heated through. Serve sprinkled with green onions and peanuts.

The making of Pad Thai

8 Clock Tower 8

YOU

Photos by Michael chung

9

AN

EAR

YOU

PLACE

the historic diesel engine number 1556 passenger train remains parked next to the Waterloo central Railway Visitor and heritage informa-

neatly ordered Prairie grass blows in the wind near one of the two seagram Distill-ery buildings near uptown

Main entrance of the cana-dian clay and glass gallery near uptown Waterloo.

10 Clock Tower

tic tocs

SATURDAY, FebRUARY 13(cont`d)

LA DONATION5 p.m.


WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (PG)9:20 p.m.

SUnDAY, FebRUARY 14

TWILIGHT: NEW MOON (PG)2:05 p.m.


LA DONATION7 p.m.

TWILIGHT: NEW MOON (PG)9 p.m.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15

LA DONATION5 p.m.


TWILIGHT: NEW MOON (PG)9:20 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (14A) 6:45 p.m.

ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG)9:25 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17

ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 7 p.m.

INSIDE HANA’S SUITCASE (PG)9:20 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18

ME AND ORSON WELLES (PG) 7 p.m.


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FLIMS 2010 7 p.m.


SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 200


AN EDUCATION (PG)4 p.m.



TUeSDAY, FebRUARY 16SUnDAY, FebRUARY 210 AN EDUCTION (PG)2 p.m.

ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 5 p.m.



MOnDAY, FebRUARY 220



Movies(cont`d)

TUeSDAY, FebRUARY 23



WeDneSDAY, FebRUARY 24

ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 1:30 p.m.

HARYY MANX - LIVE ON STAGE7 p..m.

ThURSDAY, FebRUARY 25

A SERIOUS MAN7 p..m. ANIMATED OSCAR SHORT FILMS 2010 9:10 p.m.

FRiDAY, FebRUARY 26

LIVE OSCAR SHORTS 2010 7:00 p.m.

THE WHITE RIBBON 9:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, FebRUARY 27


A SERIOUS MAN4:35 p..m.



SUnDAY, FebRUARY 28


LIVE OSCAR SHORT S 2010 4:45 p.m.

THE WHITE RIBBON 6:45 p.m


MOnDAY, MARch 1



TUeSDAY, MARch 2



WeDneSDAY, MARch 33



ThURSDAY, MARch 4


DAVID FRANCEY - LIVE ON STAGE 7:30 p.m.

FRiDAY, FebRUARY 12

THE STARS HERE Registry Theatre 9 p.m.

WeDneSDAY, FebRUARY 17

ALLADIN JR. Registry Theatre 9 p.m.

MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS Elmira Theatre 8 p.m.$18

ThURSDAY, FebRUARY 18


cont’d on page 16

theatre


Nathan Snelgrovereporter

Peter Oldrige is busy. Between do-ing his post-graduate studies in Social Work at Renison College,

being a family man with an eighteen-month old daughter, and taking care of his work placement, it’s hard not to wonder where the 27-year old finds time for his band, The Urban Monks. Not only does he sing and play guitar for the outfit, but he writes the majority of the music too.

see page 12

The Urban M

onks

Photo Courtesy of the urban Monks

12 Clock Tower

He clearly loves doing it though. And he’s excited about it these days for good reason: The Urban Monks have recently been signed onto indie label Danforth Records. They’re preparing for a new release after the success (or failure, if you ask Peter) of their 2008 debut album, The Same Light. “My success with this album and the new label is that I can make music without worrying about the business end of it now,” he said, pausing occasionally to reflect. “To have somebody else take that over is a relief to the management end, because I’m pretty interested in being creative. If I can worry about that and somebody else can worry about the other, then that’s good. If they can make it fly as something viable and something that doesn’t make me want to kill myself because I’m going against everything I want to do with my life, then I’ll do it.”

When he starts talking about recording the first tracks for the next album, his face lights up. “I want to do the production myself. I did last time, but I let some of the control go elsewhere, too. A lot of it I’m really happy with, but then there are things that I listen to that make me wince because it’s not exactly what I wanted. I’m a bit of a control freak, maybe.” He laughs nervously at this, and it’s that nervous laugh that separates Peter from the rest of the retro groups out there. His openness and his insecurities are laid bare. He’s honest and he’s earnest, and it shows in his music and in this conversation. Tell me how The Urban Monks first started.

I was touring with an a cappella group, actually. Four guys. We did shows in schools and conferences and things like that. It was called Hoja. It was a good experience, a good way to meet people, and a good way to make money doing what I want to do. Went out for a couple years, and

I got really homesick. I was kind of lonely on the road, and it became a quasi-hostile environment with the new people that were on the road to tour with me. I had been writing quite a bit on the road and wanted to do my own thing, and something more rocking.

When I came back, I just started putting together some of my songs and started doing shows. Just me and my acoustic at first. Then I started doing shows with Dave (Dave Neigh, bassist, hand claps, and background vocals) way back then, with just acoustic and a bass. It was really hilari-ous because he didn’t know the songs half the time

When I came back I was 22 or something. I pulled all this together, continued writing, and eventually recorded five songs. It was somewhat in my basement, but gave them to somebody with awesome software so they could manipulate what I had done for beds and then add some stuff. So I took like a weekend to put together this five-song thing that I was selling for a few bucks. I did a show in London, and had invited a few different management companies based in that area. One actually came out of the few that I asked to come, and they said that they wanted to record us and do the album. So, then I was sort of educated on how I should be doing touring and all this stuff to make it financially viable. So that kind of started this big internal struggle between trying to be responsible in terms of my responsibility to the community and the environment — to the future in general, and in terms of being successful with music. And to me, being success-ful was being The Beatles, so I think at that point; being happy was being The Beatles. So I’ve kind of grown up, as far as my mental process and how music is going to fit into my life and the future isn’t going to be about world domination. Like, what is that?

The Urban M

onks continued from page 11



Maybe it’s some sort of insecurity in front men. Michael Jackson was like that too Yeah, it must be. I think you’re right. I think you want people to like you, and you want them to think that you’re of value. And I think that, personally, I think that will come through my talents as a musician because it’s the only thing I could really identify as something that I could contribute that would be some-thing unique and uplift people and maybe…I guess I’m struggling with my music not being preachy. It’s not too preachy I guess, but it’s so much more refined. I’m getting that sort of message out in a much more effective way, I think. If it’s more preachy, not all the content will be like that, but the content that is will be more refined. A lot of musicians are popular for be-ing preachy. I mean, look at Bob Dylan or the entire punk industry which is basically just devised as an outlet to preach anti-consumerism while being a part of it. But not a mainstream part of it, really. Bringing the message of subverting the estab-lished system to a mainstream market has been sort of my motivation moving forward.

How do you feel the Waterloo com-munity has been treating you? Well, I’m kind of new to this scene because I was living in Stratford for five years. Amazing city. Great place. I lived here until I was about twenty, then I was on the road with a different band, then came back. We were based out of Saskatoon, so I wasn’t here at all for those two years. I came back and moved to Stratford and…it’s just so different from Water-

loo. So far, we’ve been playing The Fox and the Fiddle here, which is enjoyable. It’s a different crowd than I’m used to. It’s lots of university people dancing. But it’s good. A lot of bars are about people who want to get laid and get loaded. I’m looking for venues that are going to have cool people that like our music. I think Maxwell’s is cool – I had a hard time because it was a weeknight and being new here…I think it’d be a different thing if we were to do it now. A lot of people that know me now would come out and support it, or people might read this article, think to check out the music and then come to a show I’m promoting. I’ve read that the Urban Monks often get compared to the Beatles and other ’60’s groups, or Bob Dylan. I can hear some Rolling Stones in the music, too. At the same time though, it’s irritating to be compared to people who came before you. What do you feel separates The Urban Monks from being just another retro-themed group?

Well, I think that it’s hard to separate your-self from what’s come before because there’s not really much new under the sun in a lot of ways. There are only so many chords to throw together and you want to do it in a way that people will identify with. What makes us differ-ent, I guess, is just…the songs aren’t necessarily anything different in the sense that they generally follow a structure that is familiar to people, but hopefully the melodic content diverts enough from what people expect. I don’t think we devi-ate tremendously from the norm of bands – and I know you’re supposed to say “We’re different because of this or that,” but I don’t think we’re that much different. Maybe the difference is in

the earnestness. I do think I have a pretty good ability to think up hooks that aren’t direct rip-offs of something and then putting instrumentation around it that complements it nicely. The Same Light was released in 2008. You were played on the UW station and reached number one, and you were on CBC Radio. Do you feel the album should have done better than it did, or are you very proud of its success so far?

Well, it’s part of the past. We’re talking about re-doing some of those tracks because I think there’s a lot of value in some of those songs. Maybe doing some things with the production, or taking it right from the start again. Maybe doing it in a different manner. We might re-tool it. I think it failed to lack of promotion by the old label. Hence the new label, which I’m really happy with. The strategies I’ve seen are great. When you’re working on new material for The Urban Monks, are you looking at doing something that is more just about your intuition and less about rules?

Definitely. I think that the next album – we’re just doing bed tracks now – I still have this thing in my head to make it marketable. There’s this businessman in my head sometimes. But the only thing I’m trying to market in my music is ideas about environmental sustainability. How can we live in a way that’s more humane and just? It’s about making it something that people are going to want to hear on a massive scale, with a message that’s maybe going to do something good.

Renison College will be hosting The Urban Monks and other bands at a charity concert on March 5th. Tickets’ pre-sale and at the door. Watch Imprint for more


14 Clock Tower

Hackerspace:

Meets Science

Where Art

Erin Oldynskistaff reporter

Two laptop screens hang side by side from the ceiling, displaying a

large pair of motion sensitive eyeballs that blink each time someone enters the room. The eyeballs blink rapidly now as people stream through the door of this 150 square meter warehouse space.

On a recent Tuesday night, a group of about 30 people gathered inside the old Boehmer Box Factory on the corner of Duke and Breithaupt Streets in Kitchener. They came to take part in the 5 + 5 event, in which five local artists and five Kwartzlab makers talk about their work for five minutes each.

Ask anyone here tonight what Kwartzlab is and you’ll get an array of answers, each of which point to a similar idea.

“It’s a community work-shop,” said UW student and Kwartzlab member Alex Williams.

“It’s a smorgasbord of cre-ative people,” said Kwartslab member Darin White.

Or according to another member, Gus Gissing, “It’s a temporal, spatial anomaly that you pay money to be in.”

In any case, the history of how Kwartzlab came about is somewhat less ambiguous.

It all started when local en-trepreneur Michael Hiemstra put out a call for a hackerspace on his website in March 2009. Hiemstra had already founded the group Make:KW, which is a collective of people who make things. One might rea-sonably ask, what exactly do the members of Make:KW make? According to their website, “We’re builders, art-ists, tinkerers, crafters. We knit, we sew, we hack and tweak, we recycle, we build robots that help build more robots. We create. We make.” The hackerspace that Hiem-stra envisioned was to be a physical space for interested makers to meet up, collabo-rate on projects, and reach out to the community.photos Dinh nguyen


In Hiemstra’s call for a hackerspace, he referred to the following definition: “A hackerspace is an interdisci-plinary community for learn-ing, teaching, and creating. Instead of starting with a defined range of projects or programming, a hackerspace is driven by its members. It is a place where members have the infrastructure and resources to work on projects that interest them. Hackerspaces promote people to be hackers in the broadest sense: to learn all they can about the fields that interest them, explore their bounds, and create new and interesting ways to apply that knowledge.”

The idea quickly caught on. Just a few weeks after Hiemstra put out his call for a hackerspace, over 25 people met up to discuss how to make it happen. Soon after, a steering committee was formed to oversee the details of setting up the hackerspace. In July, Kwartzlab split from Make:KW to form a sepa-rate entity. With 22 paying members and $3,000 in the bank, the group was well on its way to leasing a physi-cal space. After considering a few different locations, Kwartzlab members decided on its current space in the old Boehmer Box Factory. They signed the lease in August and worked on renovations for the next two months. On October 16, 2009 Kwartzlab held its first open lab night. The hackerspace had come to fruition, but it was still in its beginning stages.

Events like 5 + 5 are intended to introduce more people to the space and to further diversify Kwartzlab’s member. According to Darin White, “The goal of 5 + 5 is to broaden our tech-heavy population and to diversify. When you get a robotist talk-ing with a painter, new things happen.”

Tonight’s 5 + 5 makers include a cement sculptor, a computer engineering and music student, a former soft-ware developer who is now

a photographer, a painter, a robot maker, and a sculptor who uses items from the natural environment.

Another way that Kwartz-lab members are trying to diversify the physical space that it occupies is by bringing more art into it. “How does art impact a space?” White asks. “Why do most tech companies not have art in the workplace?” Kwartzlab members aim to answer these questions by turning their workshop into more of a gallery space.

According to Kwartzlab member and computer engi-neering student Alex Williams, one of the most significant benefits of getting involved with Kwartzlab is that it gives members the opportunity for hands-on learning as well as access to the necessary tools. “In school, you learn the idea of computer engineering but don’t apply it. Kwartzlab pro-vides absolutely the best way to balance theoretical knowledge and practice.”

“Don’t believe in the walls they put up,” says member Gus Gissing about university education. “Don’t believe in the divisions that they cre-ate between the disciplines. In four years, you’re done and out. Don’t just confine yourself to being on campus and allowing the university to serve you what they want to serve you.”

White’s feelings are simi-lar. “Here, you’re coming to define your own projects. It’s a transformational experience, especially after four years of school. Here, you’re only limited by your imagination,” laughing he adds, “and some-times by the hardware.”

The future of Kwartzlab looks incredibly bright. As White points out, “We’re very adaptive and that’s why we persist.” Integral to the group’s success is also the no-nonsense attitude that many of its members seem to have. “It’s the philosophy of the do-ocracy,” says White, “Don’t plan, just do.”

[email protected] Oldynski

tic tocs

FRIDAY, FebRuARY 19



SATuRDAY, FebRuARY 20


BLACKPACK SELLOUT Centre In The Square 7:30 p.m.


SuNDAY, FebRuARY 21


MONDAY, FebRuARY 22


TueSDAY, FebRuARY 23


WeDNeSDAY, FebRuARY 24

SUMMER OF MY AMAZING LUCK Centre In The Square 7:30 p.m.


SWITCHED AT BIRTH Registry Theatre$15

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25


THE MOUSETRAP KW Litte Theatre $15 ($10 for groups)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY26


THE MOUSETRAP KW Little Theatre $15 ($10 for groups)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY27


THE MOUSETRAP KW Little Theatre $15 ($10 for groups)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28

BAROQUE DANCE PLUS Registry Theatre3 p.m.


MEMoRIES oF ElvIS vAlENTINE’S DINNER AND DANcEMaryhill Palace6:00 p.m. dinner, 8 p.m. show$40

WATERloo PUBlIc lIBRARY Book SAlE131 Shoemaker St., Kitchener8-4 p.m.$2

CuLTuRECaMPKitchener City Hall, rotunda9 - 3 p.m.

theatre(cont`d)


A BAcH TRAvElogUEDublin St. united Church$20

MONDAY, FebRuARY 15

SKATING Waterloo Public Square4-8 p.m.Free, skates can be rented

TueSDAY, FebRuARY 16

SUMMER cAMP FAIR WLu university Stadium4-8 p.m.free

ThuRSDAY, FebRuARY 18

MILITARY HISTORY LECTURE SERIES Guelph Civic Museum7:30p.m.Free

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

cAMBRIDgE lIBRARIES Book SAlESquare Library, Preston Library, Hes-peler Library, Clemens Mill Library$4

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20

chinese New YearCalvin Presbyterian Church1:30 - 6 p.m.Free

Potion kings with the Flying Fellini BrothersElora Legion8:30 p.m.$25

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21

IMPRov coMEDY SkIllSWaterloo Community arts Centre4-6p.m.$2

kITcHENER AUTo SWAP MEET AND FlEA MARkETBINGEMaNS (Ballroom & Marshall Hall)10-3 p.m.Free

MoNDAY, FEBRUARY 22

AMAzINg lANgUAgES: DEFENDINg THE WoRlD’S lINgUISTIc EcologYKITCHENER PuBLIC LIBRaRyFree

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23

TRAIN YoUR METABolISMPowell Building, uofG6:30 p.m.

coMMUNITY coNvERSATIoN SERIES Victoria Park pavilion11:30 - 1:30 p.m.$15gRAvEl PITS: A THREAT To THE FUTURE oF FooDKitchener Public Library7 p.m.Free

WeDNeSDAY, FebRuARY 24

HERITAgE RESToRATIoN: MEET THE ExPERTSElora Centre for the arts6:30 p.m.$10

PRoDUcINg FoR vIDEo AND FIlM WoRkSHoPEd Video Media arts Centre6:30 p.m.$10

ThuRSDAY, FebRuARY 25

PHILOSOPHY COLLOQUIUM Hagey Hall 3733:30 - 4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, FebRuARY 26

EXTREME ICE RACING Kitchener Memorial auditorium Complex7:30 p.m.$20 - $35

cHINESE NEW YEAR gAlA Forbes Hall, RIM Park5-12 a.m.$40 reg, $25 student, senior


PARANoRMAl SEMINAR 200 Franklin Blvd, Cambridge1-5 p.m.$5

MoNDAY, MARcH 1

RElIgIoN AND TEcHNologYKitchener Public Library

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