NDG?s Dubinsky flirts with rock stardom

By Dan Delmar The Suburban Montreal pop-rockers Bad Flirt have the dubious distinction of being Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson?s, like, totally favourite band. But as West End native and keyboardist Evan Dubinsky points out, there?s much more to them than being the latest plaything for a couple of twin millionaires. ?We won this little contest they had on their website,? explained Dubinsky, who calls N.D.G. home. ?Like all spoiled kids, they lost interest quickly.? Starting as a solo acoustic project for lead singer Jasmine White- Gluz, Bad Flirt is now a full rock band with a bright future, having been signed to Universal Records. Their new album, Virgin Talk, was just released and they are preparing for a North American

Fate or personal choice?

Check out Scapegoat Carnivale?s Life is a Dream by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, presented at Centaur Theatre as part of their Brave New Looks series. Translated by Edwin Honig and directed by Alison Darcy, this Spanish fairy tale-like story unites a strong cast on stage, including Andreas Apergis, Gemma James-Smith and Leni Parker. The latter shines in her performance as the old King Basilio, who left Prince Segismundo (Apergis) to grow up in chains in the mountains when all signs pointed toward the becoming a tyrant. With no other offspring and the throne in jeopardy, the king decides to give Segismundo a shot at governing to see if the prophecy has come true. The prince wakes up in a royal bed and believes to still be dreaming. With five live musicians on stage, lavish costumes and solid acting performances, the play makes the audience think about the themes of fate vs. personal choice, duty vs. love and honour vs. desire. ? Julia Gerke club tour that will take them to Brooklyn, New Orleans, Prince Edward Island and other spots. They?re an interesting bunch: Dubinsky and White-Gluz are recovering journalists, Raf De La Durantaye once turned down a drummer job with The Arcade Fire and guitarist Laura Lloyd is the granddaughter of former Saskatchewan Premier Woodrow Lloyd, who succeeded Tommy Douglas and helped implement universal healthcare. Sala Rossa on St. Laurent Blvd. was packed last week for their album launch party and Dubinsky is thrilled he went from being a concert promoter behind the scenes to a performer under the spotlights. ?I always wanted to work in the arts. I went to FACE (Fine Arts Core Education High School) and learned how to sing and dance. For a while, I wanted to be an actor, but it didn?t work out.? Managing the Jupiter Room club, Dubinsky, 25, had booked Bad Flirt for a performance, loved them and told himself that he ?wanted to be a part of that.? When he heard they were looking for a keyboardist three years ago,

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+ tax CHIMNEY CLEANING LOG Cleans to prevent chimney fires Bad Flirt recently signed with Universal Records. he knew what had to be done. ?I wasn?t a musician and didn?t play in a band,? he said. ?But it was an interesting thought. I went in to practice with them and never looked back.? Dubinsky, who handles much of the band?s affairs in lieu of a manager, says one of the keys to their initial success was desperation. ?We were playing like we were never going to play again. Sometimes we would be in the middle of nowhere with no help... it was an experience for me and scary at times. Eventually, we got $ 88 888 + 1 energy cord / 11 boxes

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tax $ 48 480 + tax 6 energy cords / 66 boxes better, found an audience and CDs started selling.? Business is better in the U.S. and he points out that Canada isn?t the easiest place to make it as a rock band. He notes that government arts grants typically support established acts who sell out stadiums like The Tragically Hip, and not up-and-comers. On his longevity in the music industry, Dubinsky remains realistic. ?I have no expectations of how long this could last. Even artists I?ve loved for years are struggling. Only a few people can really do this for a long time.? n SUPERIOOR QUALITY - GRADE 1 $

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