Missing Portage Place

So, it has been a month of not working at the mall, and I have to say it's gone by really fast. In about two weeks, at school, we have a week off called Reading Week. Only I don't think I'll be doing much reading (OK, maybe some) because I asked to work that week. I'm pretty excited, as much as I complain about it, I do love it, I miss my friends. I just can't stand working and school, added on to my at-home responsibilities.
At school, people are already applying for summer jobs and we are making professional resume and cover letters in class. I would love to get a job in something related to my future career, however I'm a little freaked about leaving the place I have worked at for all these years. Portage Place has been a huge part of my life. I need to transition or something like that. Well all I can say is hooray for CreComm seminars, I think I will talk to that downtown development lady.
Regardless of all the shootings and stabbings downtown has endured (hence this past week), I still love downtown. It just needs a little help, isn't that what the helicopter is for?

Art Falling From The Sky!

Haha, got your attention didn't I? I'm using this post to let people know about an upcoming event at the wonderfull Portage Place!

Trying to let you know well in advance, so you won't be a able to have a reason not to attend; spend Louis Riel Day, or "Family Day" as it is referred to by most of the country at Portage Place for a free acrobatic, face painting, popcorn eating, and cotton candy consuming event!

The event, is sort of a prelude for Momentum's upcoming Spring 2010 show. Tickets are available to be won.

What: Momentum Aerial
When: February 15th, 2010
Time: 1 p.m. show and 3 p.m. show
Where: Edmonton Court, Poratage Place Mall

Come celebrate "Family Day" with your family and enjoy some free unconventional art!

In The Chamber, Indeed.

Last Friday our class attended a play that was split into two parts, In The Chamber 2010: Last Men on January 15 at the Rachel Browne Theatre. What can I say about these two plays. For starters, how or why could this play have been sold out two nights in a row? And by play do I mean monologue?

Perhaps it may have something to do with the fact that In The Chamber is in its fifth year, starting back in 2005. It must have many devoted fans, for I couldn't wait to get out of there and am most likely not going to return next year if there will be another one.

There wasn't much to each of these performances, other than a middle aged male going through some sort of mid-life crisis in each hour. For each one, the man would basically stand alone and rant and rave about the goings-on in his current predicament.

I have to admit that beyond the dry, boring content, each monologue provided detailed truths about the world we live in. The first part of the play, Last Man in Krakendorf, written and performed by Gordon Tanner, dealt with animal cruelty due to money hungry corporations.

And the other, Last Man in Puntarenas, written and performed by Steven Ratzlaff, was about our lack of a good health care system and trained doctors which in turn resulted in the fall of his last marriage.

Both performances were surprisingly well done. I imagine it must be quite hard to talk so much and so fast, and expressing that much emotion for an hour straight.

On the down side, I felt the opening scene to be quite in appropriate. I believe that the supposed hooker in his bed would have been enough, and I don't think they needed to detail any more of that. Also, the hour long monologue I felt to be quite boring. Other than the fact that both men acted as if they were going border line crazy, I felt that the swearing and outbursts each men contributed to the story was poorly written in an effort to be funny or in my case, keep the audience from dosing off.

An Event-filled Mall

In a recent PR class, we were discussing pseudoevents. What they are? What they're goals are? A pseudoevent is an event used for the purpose of gaining media publicity and Portage Place Mall has been known to host these events from time to time. 
One majorly successful pseudoevent that I can recall is when Meaghan Waller, winner of last year's Canada's Next Top Model was announced to appear for a meet and greet in August of 2009.  Miss Waller also happens to be a Winnipegger and Winnipeg really used this opportunity to crowd the mall insanely for the short two hour period.  Many Many photos were taken of this event as well as autographs,complimentary coupons from Cover Girl were given, and makeover events were being held in the beauty salon at the mall's Shoppers Drugmart.
This was a key element in gaining publicity for the mall.  On a weekend basis, Portage Place competes with larger malls such as Kildonan Place, Polo Park, and St. Vital.  Many people choose not to shop downtown, for lack of parking mostly, among other reasons.  For Portage Place, hosting pseudoevents such as this past one, is a great way to keep consumers interested and not forget about the greatness of which is Portage Place.

Side Note:
I find it quite contradictory that the mall is hosting a "No Plastic Bag Day" on January 25th in an effort to reduce the use of plastic bags being used. CTV will provide 150 reusable shopping bags to customers who bring in their plastic bags.  The first 150 customers to do so, will receive one free bag.  Unfortunately while the mall is making this effort in going green, they have yet so install a recycling system in their food court.

Disturbing the Herd

It has just come to my attention that Disturbing the Herd has just broke up, or something like that. I hope it wasn't my review that coerced this action. Anyway, it's a sad thing to hear indeed, I was rooting for them.
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Disturbing the Herd Local metal band review

The crowd swarmed to the stage at the sound of Disturbing the Herd’s first guitar note after the audience spent the night patiently waiting for DTH to have their chance to shine. DTH who got bumped from opening the hugely anticipated head banging anomaly got placed third on the band order list, next in line for headliner.

The punk/old school metal band upped their game from performing at private house parties and churches to playing their first live public show Monday night at Winnipeg`s hot rock venue, the Zoo in Osborne Village, four days before Christmas. With approximately 30 moshers head banging and jumping around, the mosh pit proved to be a traditional metal experience. The strong scent of shampoo was an imminent part of this experience as people shook their heads and bodies around wildly.

Disturbing the Herd played heavy riffs and remained extremely upbeat, proving their style of punk and metal. Their vocalist had a sound like any other true Death metal vocalist. DTH obviously has a deep love for underground music and demonstrates it in many different genres. Their music is extremely liked in the moment, it makes you want to thrash and party.

DTH is definitely not boring, they know how to put on a good show. Their stage presence at the show was exactly what you would want from a metal band. They did not stand stiff and seemed real, not just like puppets on stage performing in order to get paid. All four members looked proud and it reflected on the interaction with their devoted audience who chanted DTH.

According to their MySpace page, DTH claims to have a sound like nothing heard before, but unfortunately in their genre of metal, they sound like every other local band I’ve heard. If this band wants to keep up with their definition of being old school metal, then I think adding some guitar solos would be beneficial to their success in making them a more memorable band and not just in the moment.