Reviews
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Slice of Pie, Hold the Fries
Evangeline Motel’s Café is a hidden gem of Wolfville
By Angela Johnston
Most of us drive by it on our way into or out of Wolfville; the café at the Evangeline InnMotel sits across the street from the Irving Station in Grand Pré and serves up some ofthe most talked about pies in the Valley. Despite its somewhat remote location, as it is abit too far of a walk from downtown Wolfville, the café always seems to be overflowingwith people. Having an irresistible appetite for homemade pies and wanting to testthe “Best Pie Ever” theory for Grapevine readers, I grabbed six friends and made surethat everyone ordered something different so the review would have some variety.
As we drove up to the café an hour before close, the parking lot was still almost fulland on a Monday night, there were more people in the small café than most restaurantsin Wolfville. The Evangeline Inn was the historic home of the late Prime Minister, SirRobert Borden and the restaurant came into being around the 1940s.
Inside, the café has a simple country-dining atmosphere, one that definitely parallels thetype of food served. Valley apples (free for the taking) rest on the front counter next tonewspapers, homemade cards and scenic photographs for sale. The front area is cozy andintimate, but the café opens up to a large and spacious sunroom in the back to providemore dining space.
The menu is simple, inexpensive, and covers all of the basics. You can order a 4ozcheeseburger or a good old-fashioned peanut butter and jam sandwich, each costing lessthan $5.00. Other menu items include a variety of sandwiches (club, BLT, chicken salad,and lobster), chowder and salad. Breakfast is also available. I tried the hamburger, whichwas very tasty, but lacked a side dish. I later learned that the café does not serve fries;there is no deep fryer on the premises, which is probably a good thing.
Now for the pies! The dessert menu is very extensive. Be prepared to choose between atleast six or seven types of pie (the flavours change each day). The selection ranges fromtraditional apple or blueberry pie, to more intense flavours like rhubarb custard meringuepie, coconut crème and butterscotch meringue pie. The servings are generous and you cantell that the filling is homemade. The blueberries in my blueberry pie were definitely notfrom a can. My friend Dave had the butterscotch pie: “The pie was tasty. The meringuewas good as was the butterscotch filling, however, there was too little butterscotch andtoo much meringue and there was no way to get both in one bite.”
I wish that you could buy whole pies to take home, but I would definitely come againback to enjoy a slice of pie. The milkshakes were equally as delicious. My friend Alisonordered a coffee flavour milkshake and loved it.
“I was pleasantly surprised to see coffee as an alternative to the normal chocolate,strawberry, and vanilla milkshake options and it did not disappoint. The milkshake waslike drinking a cold, creamy coffee crisp and was the perfect compliment to a slice ofcoconut cream pie,” she said.
We all left the Evangeline Café feeling full, satisfied and excited to come back again totry more pies throughout the summer. For more information about the restaurant and Inn,visit http://www.evangeline.ns.ca.
Matt Mays Solo Show Review
by Angela Johnston
On Thursday, June 2nd, The Al Whittle Theatre played host to popular Maritime rock-star Matt Mays and a few of his close musician friends. The show was intimate and casual; the musicians took their time between sets, joked around with each other and with the audience, and did not disappoint when it came to the quality of their music. Although the show was specified as a Matt Mays solo show, there were two opening acts before Mays took the stage. Thomas Matheson, a Nova Scotia native, introduced himself as one of Matt’s “buddies” and shared three songs from his Toronto band “The Thomas Matheson Band.” Matheson’s voice seemed a little strained, almost as if he were trying too hard to imitate Matt May’s smoky and Tom Petty-esque sound. However, when Matheson covered “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” in honour of Bob Dylan’s 70th Birthday, you could get a better taste of his sound and style. I later checked out some of his band’s songs on the CBC Radio 3 website and found that I preferred his voice when backed up with a full band. Listen to “Beach Hill Mercy” to get a good feel for Matheson’s soft and comforting style. I was surprised to see another opening artist after Matheson left the stage. Upon walking on stage, Chris Velan took off his shoes. I later realized he needed bare feet to work the intricate looping pedals that helped him perform an amazing solo set. Velan, a musician from Montreal, opened with “Shiver,” a beautiful song that sent shivers down the backs of audience members. Other great songs included “Ocean’s Ago” from his new album Fables for Fighters and “Same Clothes,” a song with meaningful lyrics that came into being when Velan was stranded without clean clothes in Ashville, North Carolina. Velan’s performance was a great surprise and I will be sure to look for his upbeat and poppy songs in the future. After a brief intermission, Matt Mays took the stage and performed songs from all of his four albums (Matt Mays, Matt Mays & El Torpedo, When the Angels Make Contact, and Terminal Romance ). He played a few songs completely solo before he invited Thomas Matheson, and friend Adam Baldwin (a member of El Torpedo) back on stage. Last year, Baldwin performed with Matt Mays at Muir Murray Winery, and it is clear that he has improved significantly since that show. Mays and Baldwin harmonize perfectly and made songs like “On the Hood” and “City of Lakes” sound even better live. Matheson accompanied Mays and Baldwin on the slide guitar. The group joked off difficulties with the amp and continued making humorous remarks throughout the night. In his encore performance, Mays stopped playing “Chase the Light” to joke about how his next show would take on a cabaret style. Although the show may have been too casual for a few of the mere 50+ audience members, Mays put on a relaxed, yet talented performance.
“Anatomy of a Print” at University Art Gallery,
02|06|2011
by Angela Johnston
The Acadia University Art Gallery is beginning their series summer exhibitions with a show on the unique art of printmaking. The exhibition, “ Anatomy of a Print” features works from the gallery’s permanent collection. The featured prints illustrate various styles or processes of printmaking and range from colourful silkscreens and serigraphy to Japanese woodblocks and etching. The exhibit displays well-known Canadian and international artists, including local Alex Colville, Mary Pratt, Roy Lichtenstein, Renee Magritte and British caricaturist James Gillray.
Laurie Dalton, the director and curator of the gallery and exhibit, explains that the exhibit is designed to highlight the permanent collection (which houses almost 2,000 works!) as well as to introduce people the variety of techniques of printmaking. The show demonstrates the techniques and differences of individual types of woodblock prints, silkscreens, lithography, serigraphy, etching, and engraving. The exhibit also features a few “artist proofs” – experimental prints that artists use to test out the printmaking method. Woodblocking is an especially time-consuming and intricate process if done in colour. The artist will create separate woodblocks for each individual colour and layer block upon block until the final image is complete. One of the first prints in the show is hung alongside some of its original woodblocks to demonstrate the complex process. Visitors will also be able to try out printmaking on a real printing press situated in the middle of the gallery.
The prints are all fascinating and the show in its entirety represents a huge variety of style, colour and technique. Furthermore, the exhibit teaches visitors about the interesting process of printmaking and differentiates the works from paintings, watercolours, or drawings, despite their visual similarities. Some people mistakenly equate printmaking with reproduction or photocopying. Printmaking, as you will learn from this exhibition, employs an element of originality because each piece produced is a unique impression, not a reproduction of another work of art. With printmaking, the artist can produce more than one “original” painting; usually the artist produces an amount of limited edition prints.
“Anatomy of a Print” runs until July 25th and will be followed by another very unique show involving fortune cookies. The gallery, located on the first floor of the Beveridge Arts Centre at Acadia, is open during the summer from 12 to 4, Tuesday through Sunday.
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Blossom Blues Thrills Convocation Hall, 02|06|2011
by Lisa Hammett Vaughan, Deep Roots Music Cooperative
When Deep Roots first put the Hupman Brothers on Acadia’s Convocation Hall stage during our Blues show in 2005, I felt pretty proud. Though young and still green, these two guys were up there matching licks with one of our headliners, Susie Vinnick, and jamming along with Bo Travis and The McCready Brothers, two Nova Scotia acts who had put down their own deep roots in the age-old musical tradition. Don Osburn had seen the Hupmans play and selected them to come to the festival because he knew right away that our audience would love them. Watching them perform that day, I knew Don was right and that, with the Hupmans, we had a perfect opportunity to fulfill one of Deep Roots ’ missions: to nurture local musicians who are in turn developing our Valley musical culture and traditions.
If that show in 2005 introduced the Hupmans’ rising star, May 28th was a zenith. The Blossom Blues Concert, again at Convocation Hall, was another fabulous Deep Roots ’ offering of talent, both established and emerging. The show featured Matt Andersen (at his inimitable finest), Matt’s cousin Jens Jeppesen (a surprise and a thrill for those who hadn’t yet heard his strong voice, fast fingers and homey song-writing), the fabulous Hupman Brothers’ Band and 12 year old Liam Potter – up there holding his own with the big guys. (The physical comparison between big Matt and little Liam was something to see. Even more enjoyable was the way Matt clearly supported Liam’s presence in the show. I had the pleasure to be backstage when Liam was onstage alone playing in front of the 1200 people in the audience, and Matt, who was next onstage, seemed to be in no rush to get into the limelight; he was smiling and saying things like “Go kid! They love you. You’re good. Now take a bow,” and when the audience cheered for Liam to play a second song, Matt was clearly in agreement that he should do so.)
The entire evening was so very fine, I could go on and on. But what I really wanted to say is this: the past 6 years of Deep Roots supporting and promoting the Hupman Brothers seemed to come to this grand culmination. The brothers’ songs are excellent, and some, like Counting Quarters and Up on the Ridge, are iconic for us Valley folks now. Ryan’s and Scott’s performances were impeccable – so relaxed yet so tight – and their collaboration with their band mates was brilliant. (Of course, the band mates’ musicianship is also brilliant!!) Looking back over the development of The Hupman Brothers, where they’ve come from and where they are, and thinking how far they can go (and how far they will take us!), I thought my face would crack with all my prideful grinning.
I count myself very lucky to be part of the Deep Roots community – supporting the local music scene, and celebrating & enriching our culture through music.
_________________________________________________________Blossom Blues Fest Review, 02|06|2011
by Angela JohnstonYou could tell before the music began that the audience of the Deep Roots Blossom Blues Festival was in for a treat. On Saturday May 28, Convocation Hall buzzed with warm summer air, a few June bugs dancing front of the spotlights, friends, families, community members and visitors to the Valley for the 79th Apple Blossom Festival.
After an introduction by 2010’s Queen Annapolisa, Jens Jeppesen took the stage for a powerful first set. Jeppesen, Matt Andersen’s cousin, hails from New Denmark in Northwestern New Brunswick and is at the forefront of the province’s “New Grass” movement. His songs have a country, bluegrass feel but are also infused with youth and energy. Jens’ lyrics tell stories of simple tradition, love, life, work and hardship. If you want to get a taste of Jeppesen’s sound, check out “No Aces,” “Time Alone” and “Time to Go.” Jens mentioned that he usually has a band to accompany him. Nevertheless, he more than held his own as an acoustic solo performer. Although he has not been able to form a niche in Nova Scotia yet, his outstanding performance at the Blossom Blues concert will hopefully bring him back to the Valley in the fall for Deep Roots.
Jeppesen has worked with the Hupman Brothers, recording a few songs on his most recent album with Scott Hupman, so it was most appropriate for Jeppesen to introduce the Humpman Brothers (as well as Ariana Nasr and Ian Sherwood on saxophone, Mike Caroll, Caleb Myles, Bob Federer), as the second act of the night. “The Hups” as some call them, have made the Valley their base, making regular appearances at Paddy’s Pub in Kentville on Thursdays. I have enjoyed their music in a more casual setting (at a barn dance at the Old Orchard Inn and at the Wolfville Farmers Market) but was blown away by their performance on stage at Convocation Hall. The group had everybody in the audience tapping their feet and dancing along in their seats. The Hupman Brothers never fail to impress, their original beats and seamless collaboration with one another provides for a great show. Their love of music and performing is contagious – I was able to feel their energy through their songs and onstage presence. The Hupman Brothers and their band played songs from both of their most recent albums Loveseat Volumes 1 and 2, as well as some old favourites. Unfortunately, it was difficult to here the saxophone players unless they were playing talented solos.
After the intermission (which lacked much needed water or snacks), Liam Potter, a 12 year old guitar player from Kingsport, took the stage. Despite some troubles with the amp, Liam wowed the audience with his performance, earning a standing ovation and an encore. His confidence and excellent “guitarmanship” will take him far in the future.
When Matt Andersen took the stage, he mentioned that Liam was a difficult act to follow. Of course, Andersen put on a wonderful show without trouble. His songs were intertwined with humorous anecdotes about his recent move to Cape Breton and his new puppy. Matt’s voice resonated perfectly in Convocation Hall where he played with unparalleled energy and power, never seeming exhausted even with sweat dripping down his guitar. Whipping his long locks around to the beat, Matt played a long, but very enjoyable set. He played mellower songs such as “So Gone Now” as well as a cover of Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire,” but also stuck to the heart pounding, intense beats he is most treasured for. I enjoyed “Canadian Winter Blues,” and “Devil’s Bride.” Cousins Jens and Matt came out and played together near the end, sporting similar sideburns, plaid shirts, and a love of music.
The theme of this year’s apple blossom was “Our Families Our Blossoms” and as MC Blaine Morrison mentioned throughout the night, the sounds and atmosphere radiating through University hall brought the audience and the musicians together as family and community. Arguably one the best part of the night was when all 9 performers jammed together on stage. Liam Potter, the Humpman Brothers, Jens Jeppesen and Matt Anderson covered The Band’s “The Weight” and “I Will Be Released” – a perfect end to a great night of good company and good music.
If you are interested in purchasing more tickets to Deep Root’s Music Festival in September, please contact office@deeprootsmusic.ca for more information.
