Richard Amery
For the Sun Times
Writing is a somewhat of a monastic persuasion, so it makes sense for writers to go to a monastery to complete their magnum opus, meet other writers and basically just write for 10 days straight without any distractions.
So local writer Michelle Greysen was overjoyed to be chosen out of countless applicants to participate in the Sage Hill Writing Experience at a former Franciscan monastery in the Qu’Appelle Valley this summer.
“It was nice to be able to write for 10 days straight, day and night. I basically wrote around the clock,” Greysen said, adding she applied back in April to get into the program, by submitting her work, which was judged by a jury of writers, after which they notified her in a couple months if she was successful.
“Sage Hill is an annual writing school run through the Saskatchewan’s writer’s guild, but it’s nationally attended and it’s juried,” she summarized, estimating there are hundreds of applicants who apply for the 30 spots in this prestigious program which takes place over 10 days every July (July 19-29 this year) at the St. Michael’s retreat, northeast of Regina.
Greysen has been a freelance writer and magazine and newspaper publisher for years as well as self-published a book of original poetry.
They must have a work in progress that is almost completed. Upon being chosen they go through a series of in tense workshopping with other writers and professional authors including novelist Terry Jordan, who was in charge of Greysen’s group of five, novelist Catherine Bush, poets Susan Stenson, Elizabeth Bachinsky, John Barton, John Lent and Daphne Marlatt and Barbara Klar and non-fiction writer Ted Barris.
“It was very cool. It’s an old monastery. It’s very isolated on the top of a hill overlooking the town of Lumsden,” she said.
“The rooms were very similar to those the monks used. But we ate together three times a day — quick simple meals, which is part of the experience.”
The workshop portion of the program was very informative, she said.
Plus, the writers all got to have one-on-one time with their instructor.
“It’s a pretty open forum and workshop with five students and one instructor. Mine was Terry Jordan; he’s a critically acclaimed Canadian novelist. Every day we workshopped our novel with the group and the instructor; all of the stuff was critiqued and the rest of the time we were working on our novels,” she continued, adding the experience was a great opportunity to be critiqued by some of Canada’s top-notch writers.
She brought her historical fiction saga “Shunned,” which follows five generations of a prairie Mennonite family.
“I was more than half to three-quarters of the way finished,” she said, adding she ended up completely revising her entire work.
“I completely reworked about half of it. I’m probably confidently ready to write the end of it. I had the ending, but no direction as to how to get there.”
Each writer got their own spartan monk’s chamber to write in, which had no Internet, little furniture and few distractions.
Each work was brought in front of the small group they were working in plus each group had a night in which to read their works to all of the participants. Numerous members from the community turned out to listen to the readings as well.
“There were five totally unique novels and writing styles in my group. I’d never seen such a high level of work,” she said.
There were separate groups for poetry, fiction and non-fiction this year, though there were no playwrights this year.
“I was so intimidated just to be there. I’d never seen such a high level of work. But everyone else there was just so supportive,” she said.
“But it takes you a while to realize that you actually are at that level, so it is really a nice eye-opener. I learned so much from the other writers. Imagine just going somewhere to write for 10 straight days.”
As a result, she is almost ready to submit her novel to agents and publishers, with the help of some of the contacts she made during her experience.
“The creative energy there is just phenomenal,” she said.
“I’d totally go again. I’d like to take every manuscript I write and go through this process before I take it to market because the process is so rewarding.”

Richard Amery
For the Sun Times
There are some odd ducks hanging out Thursday evenings at Galt Gardens, as well as crazy cicadas, unusual owls, batty bats, manic moths, psychotic skunks and pugilistic porcupines. But don’t worry about them, they’re harmless and educational. It is just one of the productions of Creature Theatre, a summer program run by the Helen Schuler Nature Centre featuring staff and volunteers who want to educate as well as entertain.
“Creature Theatre is interactive and interpretive theatre. And it’s outdoors, which is unique for Lethbridge,” said Coreen Putman, Helen Schuler Nature Centre co-ordinator, who almost always brings her two children to Galt Gardens for the show every Thursday during the summer from 7-8 p.m. Of course, that is partially because she is often performing in it.
“It’s outdoor theatre designed for audiences with children. And the shows are all different as the audience participates,” Putnam continued, adding some of the audience members come up on stage to play a part while the rest participate by adding sound effects such as wind blowing or by making animal noises.
“Response had been fantastic. We’ve been getting between 80-100 people a night. It’s a wonderful evening to spend outdoors.”
Creature Theatre has performed numerous different shows over the past 10 years they have been performing. This summer they have been alternating between two shows — Night Creatures as well a Bird Brains.
“It’s kind of a form of edutainment. By attending theatre productions, people will learn things. It’s an entertaining way to learn,” she continued adding the last performance of the summer is Aug. 26.
Helen Schuler Nature Centre staff write all the scripts and create the costumes with the help of dedicated volunteers.
“In past years youth volunteers played an important role,” she continued.
“These productions are geared towards audiences with children. Adults find it quite funny because of the pop-culture references and kids love the physical comedy and singing.
“It promotes greater appreciation for nature and the environment as well as a greater appreciation for theatre and the arts,” she said, adding fostering an interest in theatre at a young age will contribute to a greater interest in the arts when they grow up.
Putnam said the staff have written between 15-20 shows, but decided to revisit and revamp Night Creatures, which they performed in their first year.
Night Creatures examines Skunk’s plan to become ruler of the night over the Owl, with the help of her friends, Moth, Cicada and Porcupine.
Bird Brains examines which of the birds are the smartest of all. The answer may surprise you; it is not the owl, but rather the corvid family including crows, ravens and magpies.
“It’s a wonderful way to spend an evening outdoors. What better way to spend a summer evening,” Putnam said, adding the shows offer something for everyone.
“It’s a way to engage a different audience.”
Now in its 10th year, this season’s shows alternate weekly Thursday evenings through August. The remaining shows run Aug. 19 and Aug. 26.

Say farewell to popular local jazz-tinged indie-rock/pop band the Record Holder this week. They are playing the Slice Aug. 13 for their last show in a long time, as frontmen Mike and Jon Granzow are both leaving Lethbridge to pursue other opportunities. Jon is beginning his doctorate at Stanford on a full scholarship while Mike leaves shortly after this show to go to McGill in Montreal with his girlfriend.
It is sure to be a fantastic show as Jesse And the Dandelions are also performing.
This is an excellent week for local music, with local country/pop musician Alyssa McQuaid performing at the Front Row Pub, Aug. 13-14 and James Oldenburg at the Mocha Cabana, Aug. 13-14 as well. Plus local country duo Tom and Curt play Casino Lethbridge this weekend.
Progressive rock trio Lustre Creame have a Sunday night show at the Slice with Toronto progressive metal band the Isosceles Project
The Mocha Cabana has a special show this week with Sean Ashby, who plays guitar for the likes of Sarah McLachlan and Ginger, on Aug. 12.
Ashby, who has appeared on several Diamond and platinum-selling CDs, as well as has played the Grammy Awards, the Tonight Show, David Letterman and Saturday Night Live, is touring in support of his second solo CD, “24 Hours of Daylight.” The show begins at 8:30 p.m.
As always, there are open mics left right and centre, including a new Sunday open mic at Cudos Lounge, plus several of them on Thursday at Coyote Joe’s, the Owl Acoustic Lounge and the Good Earth Coffee House.
The Lethbridge Folk Club has its open mic on Friday at the Wolf’s Den.
The Slice has a couple of roots acts this week including Willy Blizzard Aug. 12, who sound like a cross between Bruce Cockburn, Murray McLachlan, and Gordon Lightfoot with steel guitars. On Saturday, female-powered B.C. roots band Johnnie 99 is visiting the Slice.
The week that was
There were a couple of outstanding blues/country based shows this week.
Like the proverbial cat in the song, the Mason Rack Band came back to the Slice and tore up the place, Aug. 4 for approximately 40 people with their special blend of Tom Waits-tinged blues rock spiced with wah-wah-soaked Weissenborn guitar and crazy drum solos.
Australia-based Mason Rack put on his usual intense show, told stories in his gravelly Tom Waits’ voice and played a lot of deadly slide guitar.
But he stood aside and let his band show they had a few tricks up their sleeves, such as letting Joel Purkess take the first drum solo while Rack and new bassist Kris Stangeland stepped outside for a smoke.
He told most of the stories and played all of the music featured on his latest live CD “Live in Canada.” One highlight was an uptempo blues rocker called “Deep Wholly Woman.”
They came back and Rack and the band did “the old switcheroo” by trading instruments during “Baby Please Don’t Go,” with Rack getting behind the drum kit, Stangland picking up Rack’s Gretsch and Purkess grabbing the bass.
Then they switched back and lit into a gospel-tinged rave up about the five things you want to do before you die called “Five Things.” Then it was time for Rack to do his patented drum solo on the kit as well on a beer keg which he rolled through the audience whilst rapping on tables, chairs , the floor and everything else in the bar during “ Who Do You Love?”
After a quick break, they blew away the crowd with some of the more up tempo numbers off the new CD including crowd favourite “Seen Her B4” and a groove-filled “90 Days.”
Then they were only too happy to fill a request from the cheering crowd—“Tom Tom Turnaround.”
They also put their stamp on a few old blues numbers including “Flip, Flop and Fly.”, played a couple Jimi Hendrix tinged originals and wound up their set with  a three man drum solo extravaganza, with the trio pounding at two beer kegs and a drum , throwing their drumsticks back and forth to each other and not missing a single beat. It was impressive.
Sometimes tribute acts suck, other times they don’t. So I had to check out Big River — Almost Johnny Cash at Coyote Joes, Aug. 6. The B.C. based tribute act featuring Dave Pittet, who is a dead ringer for a young Johnny Cash and even Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny Cash from the movie, definitely had the look down and they definitely had the sound. They played an array of Johnny Cash hits, alternating between familiar standards, like “Cry, Cry , Cry”, and “I Got Stripes” and more modern songs like his covers of “Hurt,” Rusty Cage” and “Solitary Man.”
He also played several I’d never heard before like “One Piece At a Time” about a Detroit auto plant worker who steals one piece of a Cadillac at a time.
Pittet had a magnificent baritone like Cash and had his moves down and quite a few people from the good sized crowd trying to two step.
Winnipeg singer/ songwriter Romi Mayes gets better and better every time I see her. I’ve been following her career for years and seen her evolve from solo singer/songwriter folkster to full fledged rocker chick. Especially now she has Perpetrator’s guitarist Jason Nowicki in her band who adds huge dosed of the blues to Mayes’ music
I’ve never seen them play a tighter set than their Aug. 6 show at the Slice.
Two fifths of the Skilletlikkers, George Arsene and Pat MacNamara, opened the set with several upbeat acoustic originals and choice covers of Fred Eaglesmith’s “Freight Train,” and the D-Rangers’s “Trois Rivieres.”
Mayes kicked thing into high gear right from the get-go with my favourite “The Other Dame” and then a couple tracks from her most recent 2008 CD “Achin’ in Yer Bones.” including a highlight “Tire Marks.”
Mayes owned the stage as per usual, but Nowicki easily stepped up with some searing Hound Dog Taylor style dirty blues solos, and her rhythm section played as tight as a drum skin.
I loved her “aggressive sex song” “Make you Love Me and that just was one of many highlights which had a decent sized crowd of about 50-60 people moving and grooving to Mayes’ roots-rock groove.
Somehow her voice is reminiscent of country stars like Miranda Lambert, but comes across as a lot more authentic when she sings of shooting whiskey shots and smoking more than she drinks and falling in and out of love.
She ended her first set with an amped up version of “ Styx and BTO,” (which is a bluegrass song on her debut CD) by request of George Arsene.
They came back after the break for a more laid back blues flavoured set which featured a lot of new music and ended their set with “Sweet Something Steady,” and then were called back for an encore of “Bible.”
She had a decent sized Lethbridge crowd for one, though she usually plays mid week rather than a weekend. But a monster talent like Romi Mayes deserves a big, appreciative audience like the one at the Slice, Aug. 6.
The David Harmon Experience played an excellent acoustic set at the Owl Acousitic Lounge, Aug. 7. They played an array of ’90s style pop rock hits hits by the likes of the Foo Fighters and ever the Buggles‘ “Video Killed the Radio Star” and pulled them off ell as an acoustic act.

Aug. 11
Bar One Lounge — open mic with Ben Brown
Owl Acoustic Lounge — open acoustic jam
Aug. 12
Mocha Cabana — Sean Ashby (Sarah McLachlan’s guitarist)
Slice — Willy Blizzard
Good Earth Coffee House — open mic
Beaches Pub — open mic
Coyote Joe’s — live karaoke and open jam with Paul Kype
Owl Acoustic Lounge— open mic
Aug. 13
Wolf’s Den — open Mic
Mocha Cabana — James Oldenburg
Front Row Pub — Alyssa McQuaid
Slice — Record Holder’s last show
Lethbridge Casino — Tom and Curt
Sound Garden — Project Mayhem
Owl Acoustic Lounge — Becky Johnston
Aug. 14
Lethbridge Casino — Tom and Curt
Slice — Johnnie Ninety Nine with Matt Robinson
Mocha Cabana — James Oldenburg
Front Row Pub — Alyssa McQuaid
Owl Acoustic Lounge — Colin Rinks and Johnny B
Aug. 15
Slice — Isosceles Project with Lustre Creame
Cudos Lounge — open mic — 6 p.m,.
Aug. 16
Owl Acoustic Lounge — open mic
Slice — Give Em Hell Boys
Aug. 17
Slice — open mic
Aug.18
Bar One Lounge — open mic
August 19
Slice— Bocephus King
Good Earth Coffee House— open mic
Beaches Pub— open mic
Coyote Joes— live karaoke and open jam with Paul Kype
Owl Acoustic Lounge— open mic
 

Richard Amery
For the Sun Times
Some people consider Galt Gardens to be their living room, so what better way to celebrate summer than with a party that fills that living room with music and art.
That is the idea behind Shelter Me: Party in the Park, which takes place in the downtown park Aug. 7 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
“This is a way to fill Galt Gardens with something positive and erase that stigma of Galt Gardens,” said Deanna Vincent, who is helping organize the even with  Darrell Smith.
“Unfortunately, Galt Gardens has become the living room for the homeless. They don’t have one, so this is the place they come to have friends over because they can’t do that at the shelter,” she continued, taking a quick breather from the non-stop hustle and bustle of being a mentor and case worker at the Lethbridge Shelter Resource Centre. She said the shelter has approximately 100 residents, with another 300 who use the facility’s programming.
The event, which is the brainchild of Smith, was originally designed as a fundraiser for the shelter, but quickly evolved into something much bigger.
There is a main stage featuring  a variety of musicians including the Ben Brown Trio, the Johnny Rains Band, the the Necessities, Granite Force, Smokin’ Pistols, Trena Geall, and louder acts such as Chief Mountain, Kenzi Kill and Sevenday Sin, as well as Vercitile performing throughout the day on the main stage interspersed with dancers.
There are also two open stages for anyone who wants to play in front of a crowd.
“If you want to play in front of people, we’ll welcome you. We won’t turn you away,” she said.
“Let’s fill up Galt Gardens with lots of people.”
Buskers, street performers and artists will be roaming throughout the park. Plus, there will be vendors’ tables set up throughout.
“We have a variety of vendors. We’ve got handicrafts, vintage clothing, used books and artists,” Vincent said, adding there is no cost to having a table and there are several tables still available.
While the event is no longer a fundraiser — the purpose is to fill Galt Gardens with positive energy and great entertainment —  she said the shelter will gladly accept donations.
“We’ll gladly accept donations. We held a memorial service for one of the residents of the shelter who passed away. His family made a donation. We’re also getting support from other community organizations.”
There will be a dunk tank and other activities, including a Guitar Hero competition, as well as food vendors.
Volunteers are needed to help set up tents beginning at 7 a.m. and to clean up afterward, plus run some of the events. Phone 403-327-1031 to lend a hand.
For detailed list of the day’s activities, visit www.lethsuntimes.com.



10:00 Opening Ceremony - Red Star Women
10:30 Thomas Chief Moon
10:45 Dance Performance
10:55 Tim n’ John
11:15 Dance Performance
11:30 Ben Brown Trio   
11:50 Dance Performance
12:00 The Barracuda Orchestra
12:30 Hand Game Demo – Mike Many Grey Horses
1:30 Johnny Rains Band
2:00 The Necessities
2:30 Granite Force
3:00 Dance Performance
3:10 Simone Smith
3:30 Smokin Pistols
4:00 Trena Geall
4:30 Dance Performance
4:40 Cody Prairie Chicken
5:00 Chief Mountain
5:30 A Gauntlets End
5:50 Sacred Savages
6:10  Kenzi Kill
6:50 Sevendaysin
7:30 Vercitile