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  • True Winnipeg Story #1

    Posted by Rob on November 19th, 2006

    I’ve been surfing the Winnipeg chat rooms. A few posts I came across had to do with stories about our beloved downtown. Here’s a true Winnipeg story.

    Years ago I was heading west on Portage right around the U of W. I was in my dad’s car, and had stopped at the crosswalk to allow a pedestrian to cross. Well I guess he didn’t like my dad’s car or something, because he stopped right in front of me, pulled a bag of frozen peas out of his grocery bag and threw it through the windshield of the car.

    My dad never did believe me that that’s what happened.

    Stay tuned for more true Winnipeg Stories…or write your own or go here.

  • So this is what downtown looks like

    Posted by Rob on November 18th, 2006

    Here are some colorful insights about the Grey Cup weekend from Mike the administrator at a popular Winnipeg blog site, Tear it Down. His sarcasm pretty much nails the problem with suburban flight in Winnipeg. Maybe this time they’ll stay and see an Albert show.

    So this is what downtown looks like.

    You wanna see some crazy sh..? Head to downtown Winnipeg this weekend people are on the streets. Most of them are weird dudes dressed in green coveralls emblazoned with slogans such as “Rider pride“or “Farming rules so hard,“but even some Winnipeggers have been seen downtown. Yes, suburban Winnipeg has ventured past St. Vital Centre to see what’s happening downtown. I know, I know. It’s totally weird to see people enjoying the area and having a good time without fear of being killed by the murderous homeless people and savage drug addicts who wait in eager anticipation to prey on unsuspecting suburbanites and steal their iPods. I assure you that for the next two days the downtown will be safe, even for soccer moms and minivan-driving dads. Hell, bring the little kids and let them get their very own first taste of downtown decay. Just drive in from Linden Woods or Whyte Ridge, park the SUV, and start walking around the core area, which is safe and secure because an army of cops are guarding the Grey Cup Festival. “Ooh! Just look at all the boarded-up windows and vacant buildings. Isn’t it all quaint and charming? Hey! Where’s the closest Jysk store? Or maybe Best Buy. I need to buy some linen and DVDs. Oh, those Bears on Broadway are so very droll, aren’t they?“Isn’t it funny how people are tourists in their very own city?

    Mike

    Be warned if you’re going visit the tear it down site. You might as well check your political correctness at the door.

  • Getting down with Geezus

    Posted by Rob on November 18th, 2006

    Local rag Geez magazine is getting some attention for being the antithesis to the right-wing evangelical movement in the states. Managed by Aiden Enns former editor of Adbusters, practicing Mennonite and CKUW regular, Geez offers a different perspective on the Christian faith. One that aims to “untangle the narrative of faith from the fundamentalists“and make Jesus fun again.
    You can check out the magazine here.

  • American Hardcore

    Posted by Rob on November 18th, 2006

    We’re presenting American Hardcore from Dec. 1-7 at the Cinematheque. The Paul Rachman film explores the American punk rock scene from 1980 to 1986 with stories from Black Flag, Bad Religion, D.O.A., Bad Brains, Circle Jerks and more. The doc isn’t a lot easier to summarize than that of any other major war, but it’s quite a bit funnier, as this belated documentary overview-based on Steven Blush’s like-titled tome-proves in each of its 90 exuberantly irritable minutes. “Normal people did not listen to hardcore, and we liked it that way!” exclaims Articles of Faith’s Vic Bondi, one of the movie’s many hilarious punk raconteurs. Like the three-chords-fast tunes themselves, director Paul Rachman’s montage is a frenzied, propulsive pull from here and there – “an astonishing array of milky VHS concert footage (Black Flag in 1981!)”- The Village Voice. The film is showing along with Worked to the Bone By Gwen Trutnau (2006) (3:20) Everyday monotony, will kill skeletons who want to party.

  • Woodstock in North Korea

    Posted by Rob on November 18th, 2006

    Early last year South Korea produced a halfway-decent punk rock tune on behalf of North Korea. The catchy anti-American tune “Fuck’n USA“was released into cyberspace. The ploy to stir up American resentment towards their commie half unwillingly gave the DRNK temporary punk rock clout until the song and subsequent video was exposed as a hoax. Yes I was had. I though for sure it was possible to have a punk rock scene in the “Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea“just as long as it was anti-American but it now seems a more improbable musical situation is taking place in the hermit kingdom. Instead of punk rock the DPRK is opening up its boarders this summer to what they call “western capitalist popular music.“What is being described as the North Korean Woodstock is in the works for May and all bands including the yanks are invited. That’s right if you’re in band and willing to withstand screaming newscasters, daily military high kick marches, kissing in public and a possible nuclear war you could be playing for a brand new market. It’s unknown if their wacko leader has anything to do with the “rock for peace“festival but it wouldn’t be surprising. Kim Jong II seems to be scarier as an unwavering crack addict for America’s pop culture nightmares including the likes of Liz Taylor and Michael Jackson then he is as a nuclear-ideled irate dictator. The news tells me he’s dangerous, erratic, dishonest, half-drunk and a sex crazed pervert. Christ, it’s a wonder why he hasn’t started making records yet. He could win a Grammy. Maybe that’s his game. Kim is known to kidnap worldly filmmakers to make monster movies it’s not a stretch that rockers might to have endure reeducation classes and daily meals of grass and cornmeal during their prolonged stay. The only restrictions are there can be no mention of war, sex, violence, murder, drugs, rape, anarchy, imperialism, colonialism, racism, anti-DPRK and anti-socialism during their act. With that laundry list of disclaimers Kim may not be able to quite capture the spirt of the hippie era but it could be a way of offloading some really shity jam bands. I sent a list of suggestions to festival organizer Jean-Baptiste Kim. Hopefully the string cheese incident can make time in their schedual although without readily available psychadelic drugs the audience might not be as receptive. Unless they’re under gun point. Better yet maybe we can have a nuclear exchange program where industry stars are traded for Kim’s nuclear arsenal and Bono can finally get his damn peace prize. Still, it’s a hell of an opportunity for any artist who wants to be able to say they rocked out in Pyongyang – they just couldn’t take any pictures of it. If you want to know more about the festival or look at some lovely DPNK propaganda including creepy photos of Norwegians and NK school boys the website here.