Story by Alexa Tomaszewski
Photo by Vanessa Heins

Juno-award winning artist Holly McNarland is back with her new album, Run Body Run. It was produced entirely in-house and the first supporting show for the album will be June 16 at the Rivoli.

After parting with Universal Music the singer-songwriter set up shop “literally in my house, on my top floor, which is insanely hot right now,” says McNarland in an exclusive interview with Plaid Magazine.

With no shackles to the music industry, Run Body Run is the result of over a year’s hard work in and out of the studio.

“I really like being able to connect with fans. I know what they want and I understand them more and they get to know me a little bit more,” says McNarland. “I’ve said this before, I hope I don’t burn it out, but if people feel close to music they will buy it. I think we’ve been missing that connection for a long time.”

McNarland says this is as an opportunity to grow closer to fans by going directly to them for support through social media. At the same time however, she admits to being apprehensive about whether the fans were still out there after so many years. “It was kind of scary especially after I put a song up on Soundcloud…it was a little bit nerve racking throwing myself out there, seeing if anyone is interested.”

Social media marks an important time for the artist today. “We don’t need a middle-man,” says McNarland about creating this album independently. “That’s what I love about it, that’s what my fans love about it, that there’s no body in between us anymore. This is me and they know it’s me.”

McNarland moved to Toronto with her family and it was through her son’s alternative school she met fellow musician Gord Tough of Weeping Tile, a band started by Sarah Harmer (who Gord still plays with occasionally).

“I asked Gord to do it and he got on board. He got Cam (the drummer) who I met at Weeping Tile years ago,” says McNarland. “So, we just put it together. Add my boyfriend/partner/husband guy and it was wild, just so easy.”

Run Body Run took about five years to compose and the songs bridge the gap between country and rock. The opening track “Alone’s Just Fine” soothes the listener into the mood of the album. The following track “Only Money” highlights McNarland’s more edgy vocal style. “You’ll Forget About Me”, a beautiful track, opens with the simple sound of a guitar, and then introduces McNarland’s voice, marked by the pain of loosing a lover.

This album is paired down to drums, bass, guitar and McNarland’s powerful voice.

“It’s the first album that I’ve made where it’s stripped down,” says McNarland. “I’m really proud of this record. I love the players and I love the production.”

McNarland credits much of this feel to Run Body Run producer Chris Singer.

“It’s just bare bones and he didn’t try to take the country out of me, which I think all of the other producers geared towards more rock,” says McNarland “I grew up singing country. I didn’t learn how to sing rock and roll because that’s not what my mom listened to when she was learning to play guitar.”

McNarland says country music is part of her roots and deeply ingrained in her Winnipeg, Manitoba upbringing. Tracks like “After I’m Gone” and “Window Pane” are notably country-esque in both lyrics and structure.

Inspired by her daughter, the album’s title track “Run Body Run” is the most care free, not unlike the spirit of a three year old itself.  Essentially, McNarland wrote down everything her daughter said in a day and transformed it into a beautiful ballad about believing anything is possible when you’re a child.

To McNarland, being a mother of two is incredibly inspiring. She can’t believe her son just turned thirteen.

“Having kids really sort of throws you into this thing where you can’t write whenever you feel like it,” says McNarland. “So, when you do write, when I get to play music, when I get to sit down with my guitar and when someone isn’t asking me for a peanut butter sandwich it’s really cool.”

She describes the time she does get to compose music as very special and since becoming a mom/musician she’s had to learn to maximize whatever time she does get to spend with her music. Of Course, motherhood has in some ways changed how McNarland practices.

“It’s so much fun, but touring is so difficult these days.” says McNarland. “When you have a family it changes. When I was 20 I would get into a van with a bunch of guys and just schlep it in the middle of winter.”

McNarland laughs and says now she avoids any situation possible involving trucking her children across town. “They fight all the time,” says McNarland jokingly.

Today’s music industry is a brave new world and McNarland found the perfect niche to nurture her creative spirit and still give fans what they want.

Story by Mara Munro
Image courtesy of 889 Yonge – Yoga + Wellness Spa

My thighs are on fire, my arms feel jelly, and my hair is plastered to my sweat-drenched face and neck. I am desperately trying to keep breathing through my nose like a good yogi, but instead I am gasping for breath, mouth gaping open like a fish out of water and class only started 15 minutes ago. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to push the limits of your mental and physical strength at 889 Younge Yoga’s Athlete Flow class as you challenge yourself to one the toughest yoga classes in Toronto.

Taught by Michael DeCorte, founder of Jock Yoga, this class takes an athletic spin on yoga as it focuses on strength, over flexibility, “I was a marathon runner, and then a body builder”, explains DeCorte, “and then I fell in love with yoga, but I couldn’t put my foot behind my head or do lotus and it made me feel like I wasn’t good at yoga.” Yoga is intrinsically bound to this idea of gymnast-like flexibility, which can make it intimidating for people, like athletes, with tight and stiff bodies to get on the mat. When DeCorte went to study with yoga masters in L.A., he noticed that flexibility was not the be all and end all of yoga, “I realized that the advanced yoga classes I was taking don’t mean you have to do lotus pose, it means you are holding poses for along time and doing lots of vigorous movement before hand.”

Inspired and invigorated, DeCorte returned to Toronto and developed what is quickly becoming a popular new brand of yoga called, Jock Yoga, “When I came back, I decided to teach my truth, to teach yoga that honors the particular needs of athletes, who may never otherwise step onto a yoga mat because they aren’t ‘flexible’ enough.”

True enough, while this yoga class is incredibly challenging, it is very accessible. As we flowed from pose to pose, I realized that the challenge of the class was in the realm of strength and endurance, not flexibility. While those more bendable bodies were offered options for advanced binding, the majority of the poses we practiced, like warrior I and II, were easily accessible to even the tightest hips and hamstrings.

DeCorte’s grounded personality and honesty that pulls you through all the hard work without the need to pontificate Patanjali’s sutras. Yet despite the absence of meditation or mantra, the underlying philosophies of yoga like Tapas, which literally translates as ‘heat‘ and refers to the notion of austerity, discipline and practice shines through on it’s own. “There is something spiritual about working really hard,” says DeCorte, “I think people who can push through a really challenging yoga practice can push through challenging things in their life.”

Near the end of class, DeCorte encouraged us to try moving from the arm-balancing crow pose into a tripod headstand. Fearful and insecure about my ability to do this, I tried, and succeeded. I left the studio physically drained, but mentally nourished, reflecting on the challenges in my life that once scared me, which now seemed possible with my newfound strength.

Join Michael for one of his classes at 889 Yonge – Yoga + Wellness Spa every Tuesday and Friday from 5:45pm to 7:00pm, and Sundays from 10:15 to 11:30 am.

Photographed By Nadia Cheema
Makeup: Robert Weir (Ford Artists)
Hair: Kelly Armstrong
Photographer’s 1st Assistant: Shane O’neill
Photographer’s 2nd Assistant: Zsuzsi Pal
Makeup Assistant: Brittany Sinclair
Story by Robert Weir

I believe that all women are beautiful, and I can’t think of a place where beauty is more evident than Toronto. We have a variety of ethnicities living together peacefully in this city. We also have amazing subcultures coming together, influencing each other and creating something new.

I think makeup can be the ultimate accessory because people are naturally drawn to faces from birth. Each face is unique, special and should be celebrated in its own way. Beauty Editors usually work within the guidelines of what you should and shouldn’t do with your makeup. Today, I’m not going to give you a list of Do’s and Don’ts that contradict each other. I would rather guide you with helpful hints toward finding the classic look that is your “personal best”.

For fair pink (pink-based) skin: Avoid makeup with too much pink in it – it will only bring out more pink in your skin. Try a sheer and very pale yellow-based foundation. For blush, opt more for a peach or mauve colour instead of pink.

For women who have fair skin but dark, red or very blonde hair, you can have the most fun with colour. The dramatic frame that you hair colour makes around your face is perfect for a dark, smokey eye or a red lip.

Most women have a yellow/golden base to their skin tone. To achieve a natural daytime look, your best option is to go monochromatic with your makeup. By that, I mean choosing colours that also have a yellow or golden base to them to create a natural look.

For women who have a yellow or golden base to their skin and would like to make a splash for evening, do the opposite of what you do for day. Choose a cool jewel tone that stands out against your skin instead of blending in. Try a turquoise or plum eyeshadow; a berry shade for your lip will create night time glamour.

A Hint for Hair

We always want what we don’t have. If you want beautiful healthy hair for life, learn to love what nature gave you. Most of us have a hair colour and texture that was designed to compliment us by nature, so invest in products that will work with – not against – your hair’s natural inclinations.

Story by Odessa Paloma Parker

Oscar Wilde once said, “Liberty is the chosen resort of the artistic shopper.” He was speaking, of course, about coveted London-based textile manufacturer Liberty London, and this season, the venerable visuals of the brand will be splashed across another U.K. staple: June 1st marks the worldwide release of ‘Liberty London For Dr. Martens Floral Prints’ collaborative line.

Classic and recently introduced Docs styles are reworked with the lush Arts & Crafts patterns that Liberty London is known for; the collaboration offers two main prints – the “Strawberry Thief”, originally created by textile master William Morris in 1883; and “Martens Flower”, a contemporary take on a textile print first created by the Silver Studio for Liberty in 1930.

The range offers styles for both men and women, and paired with a sweet sundress or pop-of-colour pants, these prints will brighten up any outfit, any day.

Story by Amanda Stancati

Illustration by Madison van Rijn

‘Tis the season for fresh starts.  If you’re like most people and can’t part with the pieces that have languished in your closet for some time (that you admit you will probably never wear), or if your closet is overflowing with no space for Spring’s colourful new trends, then these tips should come in handy to help you get motivated and organized to revamp your wardrobe. 

We know it’s difficult to part with your clothing, accessories, et cetera, but thankfully some fashion experts have given Plaid their own tips and tricks for a full closet makeover that will have you feeling confident about your new orderly space, and rejuvenated by a proactive approach to the season. 

Get Comfortable:  Set aside an afternoon and be prepared to try everything on. Melissa Austria, founder of Gotstyle, a menswear store in Toronto, suggests getting a bottle of wine and a good friend who will be completely honest with you.  “Start going through your closet and try everything on to get the nay or yay,” she says. “If it doesn’t fit you properly, get rid of it, especially for suits. If the suit is too big in the shoulders, then you can’t alter it, so donate it.”  Look at yourself in the mirror and decide if the item fits properly, if it looks presentable, and most importantly, if you are comfortable wearing it.

There Are No Rules: Shawna Robinson, co-designer of LABEL, recommends keeping those special pieces, even if you haven’t worn them in a while.  Keep a piece of clothing if  “the construction is beautiful and the piece itself is irreplaceable.”  “I know the general rule is always ‘If you haven’t worn something in x amount of months, get rid of it’, but I have to disagree,” she says. “I have some very special pieces that I don’t wear often, and I like to keep them for those times when I feel like being stared at.”

If You Love It, Fix It: “Look at the clothes you love but never wear and ask yourself why you don’t wear them. Is the hem too long?  Do the sleeves bother you?  Take [it] to a dry cleaner or tailor and fix it! It’s a cheap and easy solution to make what you have and love work better for you,” says Kerry Butt, co-owner of Parkdale boutique, The Future of Frances Watson.

But, don’t be blindsided by your fondness of a specific piece.  Robinson reminds us that, “Construction is key!  If you have anything that’s faded (unless it’s an old concert tee, for those, faded is the best!), torn, or just looking shoddy, it’s time to say goodbye.” If it’s truly worn out, it’s best to let it go.

Shop Your Closet: Detach yourself from your clothes and look at them as if they were hanging on a store rack.  Would you purchase a particular piece now if you saw it?  You’d be surprised what pieces you will find in your closet that you can actually work with – that you would otherwise get rid of – just by viewing them in a whole new light. Think of pairing that old item with a modern new addition – this season’s hottest colour or pattern trend, for example – and decide if you can work with it. “Keep an eye out for interesting pieces that could be slightly altered to give a fresh look,” says stylist Nadia Pizzimenti (Judy Inc.)  Sometimes all you might need is a bold piece of statement jewellery or even a slight trimming of the hem.

Embrace Yourself: Embrace your size and your style.  If something doesn’t fit and you’ve been hoping to get into it for a while, don’t save it.  Welcome your size and shape and only keep items that flatter and fit your body type now.  It is also important to consider your style and what makes you feel confident.  Model Naro Lokuruka (Push Creative Management) says that her style has changed over the years, as it does for many people, so she has to consider whether the piece fits into her current style, and uses spring cleaning as an exercise to define and fine-tune her look. “Style does evolve,” she says.  “You have to ask, ‘Do I still feel good in this piece?  Does it define the person I am now?’”  You grow and change, and so should your wardrobe.

Organize: Find a method of organizing your closet however works best for you, whether by colour, season, category, or type.  This will allow you to see what clothes you have and what you need to invest in.  Butt explains, “If you find yourself with a bunch of pieces that fill the same role in your wardrobe, get rid of them and pick up a workhorse piece that looks great in many different scenarios…If you organize your closet based on your individual needs, it will make getting dressed that much easier.”  When going through your clothing, create piles for keeping, maybe, donating/giving away and rubish to help you along with the process. 

Be Realistic: Asking, “Will I ever wear this” seems like an obvious question, but our common response of “Well, maybe” is all too unreliable.  Be practical when deciding the probability of putting something on and keeping it on.  Don’t hold on to trends that you’re hoping will come back.  Fashion is cyclical, so when that trend does return there will be plenty of new pieces just like it in stores, and chances are you’ll be coveting the newest version anyway.  If you’re storing things for sentimental or nostalgic reasons, keep this pile to a minimum.  Seriously, your ex-boyfriend’s sweater does not need to take up valuable space.

Finally, if it doesn’t make you feel confident, if it looks funny on you, or there’s just something you can’t put your finger on that always seems to sway you away from wearing it, it’s time to part ways. There are plenty of pieces out there waiting for a happy, uncluttered new home!

Story by Laura Hermiston
Video Production by Olenka Szymonksi 

Modern Superstitions are releasing their School Days/Way I Want 7″ with a release show this Thursday night at the Garrison in Toronto.  Michael Rault and Chang a Lang will be opening  Doors are at 9pm.

*Special thank you to Tusk

*Actual Water are not playing as expressed in the video interview

Guillaume Côté and Heather Ogden in Hamlet rehearsal

Story by Nina Cherry
Photo by Bruce Zinger

How are we influenced by our parents? American-born choreographer Kevin O’Day asked himself this question repeatedly as he began to create the choreography for his first story-ballet, Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Hamlet. For O’Day, the crucial element in Hamlet is “What is in your DNA, what is in your bone? What’s bred in the bone?” O’Day explores this theme, merging his highly physical style with the intense intellectual drama of the play to create a gripping ballet full of raw emotion.

The dancing isn’t the only captivating part of this ballet. The talented John King wrote Hamlet’s soundscape – a punchy, upbeat score with a heavy jazz influence. The score also contains improvisations to keep the ballet fresh and the dancers on their toes (pun intended).

O’Day’s Hamlet premieres this Friday, June 1, at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The first performance, at 7:00 p.m., will feature the National Ballet of Canada’s Guillame Côté as Hamlet and Heather Ogden as Ophelia.

“Every audience member,” says O’Day, “every character in the play has a personal connection to ‘to be or not to be.’” Go this Friday and find out your connection.

The National Ballet of Canada’s production of Hamlet runs at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts June 1-10, 2012.

Story by Laura Cappe
Photo provided by Japandroids 

The house is bustling, overflowing with people. The keg is being tapped frequently, keeping bodies warm and buzzed. Boys and girls are dancing, tingling with high school lust. Everything seems to be going just peachy…

Then suddenly you wake up. You feel like you’ve been punched in the face, your mouth is hot and clammy and your muscles scream as your feet meet the floor. You find the dog, spray painted pink. There’s vomit in your closet and in your shoes; beer bottles broken, cups strewn across the floor and your Mother’s favourite gnome is a gnome no more. All of it – evidence of a wicked party.

Just like those memorable, wild, and rebellious high school nights (either experienced in reality or through the movies), Vancouver based rockers Japandroids keep the party alive. Their second album “Celebration Rock” is a vibrant compilation of punk rock tunes that pay tribute to youth and those more reckless times through both their sound and lyrics, delivering party anthems packed with plenty of “oh, oh, oh’s” – opportunities for listeners to scream along and get rowdy. Similar to their first release Post Nothing, the Canuck duo stuck to their minimalistic approach – same producer, same fuzzed out guitar sound, same instrumental simplicity and still raw, real and totally badass. Through their music, Brian King and David Prowse somehow have this ability to instantly bring back that familiar urge for wild unadulterated fun.

Like some of the best parties, the cover art is simple and unassuming – two average Joe’s welcoming you into the party of the year – “The Nights of Wine and Roses” at “The House That Heaven Built”. For someone who isn’t familiar with Japandroids’ music, they probably wouldn’t know what to expect, but once you step inside, you can just smell the beer a-flowin’.

Press play. The first thing you’ll hear are fireworks. It’s time to celebrate.

Celebration Rock is out today through Polyvinyl.

Words by Rebecca Poynton-Murray
Images by Cylla von Tiedemann

Whether a regular attendee or a first timer to the theatre, you will undoubtedly have certain expectancies and some awareness of what is in store. So it is refreshing to settle down to Soulpepper’s staging of the rarely produced, ‘Home’.

A quintessentially British play, ‘Home’ was written by David Storey who was important to the renaissance of 60s and 70s English playwriting. The story diagnoses human interaction in its simplest form.

The lights are raised revealing Harry (played by Founding Soulpepper Member Michael Hanrahan) seated on an ornate chair on a neatly manicured lawn, staring silently into the distance. He is swiftly joined by companion Jack (Oliver Dennis) and the play revolves around the conversation of the two men. The exchange covers everything from judging passers by, to reminiscing of humorous times passed. Both actors speak with accurate British accents and make use of common slang (‘are you having us on?’, roughly translated, means ‘are you being serious?’)

Deciding on a pre lunch stroll, the gentlemen leave room for two rougher women with East London accents to take their place. Mimicking the previous scene, the pair hold a conversation on a more crude level, with one eye on the wandering Harry and John passing them by. Eventually, the foursome interacts, producing a humourous conversation that deeply engages the audience.

This is a particularly special event for Soulpepper, as leading man Oliver Dennis celebrates his 50th production with the company, as well as his 50th Birthday. Absolutely marvelous, as they say across the pond.

‘Home’ is on stage now until June 20th at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts.

Photos: (left) The Annex Quartet, Karen Reeves; (right) Stanislav Pronin, David Neuse

Story by Odessa Paloma Parker

It’s no doubt that many of us could relate to Saturday mornings spent studying some kind of musical pursuit. Tinkering away at the piano, plucking at a violin, yelping through a choral piece. For most of us, the endeavor was fleeting, and our ambitions of virtuosity inevitably gave way to other things. But for four Torontonians, the passion lingered, and now they’re bringing the gift of song to people any way they can.

Formed in 2008 through their association with the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Quartet’s founding members, Yunior Lopez (viola) and Peter Cosbey (cello) were joined by Carolyn Blackwell (violin) last year, and Hezekiah Leung (violin) this year. Initially, they had the idea to play “just new music, doing works that nobody else had”, according to Cosbey. This concept now incorporates not only modern works but traditional pieces as well – their repertoire a combination of intriguing and immemorial sounds.

The Annex Quartet has performed in prestigious settings including the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto, and Carnegie Hall in Manhattan. Their extraordinary ability and soulfulness afforded the group the opportunity to work with the Kronos Quartet – The Beatles of modern classical music – during a residency at Carnegie Hall. “They ran a worldwide contest,” Lopez recalls, “to join them in New York …. We were the only group from North America who won.” The relationship has lingered, with The Annex Quartet most recently opening for the Kronos Quartet at last year’s Luminato Festival.

When not dazzling large crowds at world renowned venues, the group also manages their own concert series, inviting guests to perform alongside them at intimate venues like St. Andrew’s Church in Toronto. “We’re a self-running organization,” notes Lopez, adding that the concert circuit has taken them from performing well known pieces to those more contemporary. Most recently, the Quartet performed an ambitious program of Bach, Beethoven, Ravel, and Brahms. “It was our first all classical program in two years,” Lopez says. The program for the evening was built around The Quartet’s two special guests for the show, pianist Peter Longworth and violinist Stanislov Pronin, who performs with The Annex Quartet when his schedule allows.

Pronin caught much attention for his lively interpretation of Ravel’s “Tazigane”, an adventurous, twisting piece that had the audience curving with each dissonant chord. The piece’s name, translated to mean ‘gypsy’, was derived from the ambiguous term for exotic musical sensibilities during the composer’s time, and elements of Spanish and Eastern European styles meshed in Pronin’s deft rendition.

This type of experimentation in a world often seen as rigid and drab, will be the Quartet’s secret weapon to longevity (in much the same way as the Kronos Quartet’s diverse repertoire). Currently, their work-in-progress is an all-Cuban album; “The idea was a historical background from the turn of the century up until now,” Lopez says, adding that the unusal instruments they purchased while working with the Kronos Quartet influenced the project’s concept.

Their next show is also a bit of a departure; the Quartet will perform on Thursday, May 31^st at the Al Green Theatre (750 Spadina Avenue, Toronto) as part of Spectrum’s concert series, in a show called When This War Ends.  Spectrum, a collective of composers based in Toronto, will end its season with this chamber opera written by Caitlin Smith, who explores the war in Afghanistan from a Canadian perspective.  Her brother, a journalist covering the conflict, was the inspiration. Joining The Annex Quartet for the show are Toronto jazz musicians David Occhipinti and Ben Dietschi, adding more diversity to the program.

Social engagement, whether imbued in a piece or literally performed, is something clearly close to The Annex Quartet’s heart. They perform for youth groups and schools, hoping to reach those who aren’t as fortunate to have had a musical education. Pronin notes that he sees a difference playing for teenagers in particular, watching them make the connection between the abstract version of Mozart twisted into a cellular ringtone, and hearing the piece played live.

Yet it’s not only teenagers who could use more exposure to music outside of the typical pop culture realm, and with shows like When This War Ends, it’s clear that The Annex Quartet is trying to spread their sound as far as it will travel through explorations of relatable and relevant topics. After all, as Pronin observes, all art forms – from literature to music to painting – explore the same themes of love, loss and other emotions. “Human nature hasn’t changed; [classical music] is just a different language to express the same things.”