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Winnipeg Free Press
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg's music community mourns loss of two of its own
Family, friends and fans are mourning the unexpected loss of two influential figures in Winnipeg's music community. Brendan Berg, longtime bassist for indie-pop band Royal Canoe, and his partner Olivia Michalczuk, a community organizer and avid music supporter, died Tuesday in a head-on collision on Highway 10 north of Swan River. The couple was on holiday. Berg, who died on the eve of his 43rd birthday, and Michalczuk, 31, are being remembered for their respective creativity, compassion and ability to form deep bonds with those around them. JULIO ASSIS PHOTO Brendan Berg, 42, and Olivia Michalczuk, 31, died in a car accident on Canada Day. Within hours of sharing news of the tragedy on social media, Royal Canoe had received hundreds of messages from followers around the world recounting meaningful run-ins with Berg. Nobody in the band — which includes Matt Peters, Matt Schellenberg, Bucky Driedger, Derek Allard and Michael Jordan — was surprised at the response. 'He had a good buddy everywhere and it's not really an exaggeration,' Jordan says over a video call. Berg joined Royal Canoe in 2010 as a virtuosic bassist and quickly became an integral member of the group. 'We needed someone who could play bass really well, who could also play keyboards, who could put up with all the neurotic energy in our band and Brendan just fit the bill so, so perfectly. He just charmed us from day one,' Peters says. 'Not only musically, but just in our band organism, he was the one quietly holding it down, steadying us, showing up in really shitty moments with smiles and positive vibes,' adds Driedger. As a musician, Berg played with precision, joy and confidence — making 'maybe eight' onstage mistakes during his 15 years with the band. He was happy performing from the back row, where he could be seen grinning ear-to-ear and soaking up the moment. JULIO ASSIS PHOTO Brendan Berg and Olivia Michalczuk were both involved in Winnipeg's music scene. As a bandmate, he was quick to take on the less glamorous aspects of touring: driving, booking accommodations and loading the van after gigs. The latter was often a drawn-out process, owing to his friendly nature. 'He was always the last one to pack up because he was always visiting after the show,' Jordan says, laughing. He was a serial collaborator, playing with dozens of local bands and musicians, including Tele, Matas Touch, Mason Mele, Reverend Rambler, Begonia, Retro Rhythm Review and many others. Gigs could not interfere with Lumbercats games — a beer-league hockey team formed with friends from the Riverview neighbourhood, where Berg grew up. He gave an equal amount of attention to interests beyond music, from literature to obscure cinema to film photography. Berg was also a foodie. He brought a manual coffee-bean grinder on the road and was known for making gourmet van sandwiches and curating lists of restaurants to visit. Schellenberg often copied Berg's restaurant order: 'He would always order something a little different and slightly more expensive.' JORDAN WOOD PHOTO Brendan Berg joined Royal Canoe in 2010 as a virtuosic bassist and quickly became an integral member of the group. Winnipeg-born, London-based chef Mike Robbins and Berg became fast friends thanks to a shared love of food. When Robbins landed his first head chef job at Sydney's at The Forks, he enlisted Berg as his unofficial menu taster. 'He had a way of delivering the truth in such a gentle way and that's exactly what I needed,' Robbins says. The pair later worked together at Sous Sol, one of several local eateries where Berg was employed. 'He was such a talented guy, an awesome bartender, a very good server and a very versatile musician,' Robbins says. Berg and Michalczuk met nearly nine years ago at X-Cues Café and Lounge on Sargent Avenue, where she was working at the time. 'He was heightened by her and they were very much in love every time you saw them,' Jordan says. Brendan Berg, left, and Matt Peters perform in Royal Canoe. While her partner was widely known for his onstage career, Michalczuk made waves behind the scenes as an avid concert goer, music journalist and general booster. 'She was essential to the Winnipeg music scene,' Jen Doerksen says via email. Doerksen and Michalczuk became best friends after meeting through concert promotion company Real Love Winnipeg and participating as jurors for the national Polaris Music Prize. 'She offered constant encouragement, creative ideas, thoughtful advice, and unfiltered honesty when she thought our ideas missed the mark. That kind of friend and support is rare and invaluable,' Real Love founders Adam Soloway and Gilad Carroll said via email. Michalczuk, a jewelry and visual artist, wrote for The Manitoban and founded Paper Cut Winnipeg — a blog and podcast about the local music scene — with Jared Gauthier. She worked in community development with the Exchange District BIZ, Spence Neighbourhood Association and, most recently, with the Government of Manitoba as a community planner, according to LinkedIn. Olivia Michalczuk, a jewelry and visual artist, wrote for The Manitoban and founded Paper Cut Winnipeg. 'She had strong convictions, but that never stopped her from listening and considering others' experiences, ' Doerksen says of her friend. 'She brought a fire to everything she was part of — warm, loving, but also driven, exciting and illuminating.' Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Mercury
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Mercury
Ukraine to withdraw from anti-landmine treaty
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree putting his war-torn country on track to leave an international anti-landmine treaty, according to a document published on his website. The Ottawa Convention bans signatories from acquiring, producing, stockpiling or using antipersonnel mines, which are designed to be buried or hidden on the ground. They often leave victims mutilated if they are not immediately killed, and unexploded mines cause long-term risks for civilians. Australia signed the convention in 1997 and ratified it in 1999. A Brisbane construction worker and father of two who heroically signed up to fight as a volunteer soldier in Ukraine tragically lost a leg after standing on a Russian landmine in December. Casey Gadaleta, 38, who had no prior military experience, had been fighting in Ukraine since March 2024. Russia 'is extremely cynical in its use of antipersonnel mines,' Mr Zelensky said in his daily address. 'This is the trademark of Russian killers – to destroy life by any means at their disposal,' he added. More than 160 countries and territories are signatories to the Ottawa Convention, though neither the United States nor Russia have joined. To enter into force, the decision still must be ratified by the Ukrainian parliament and notified to the United Nations. The withdrawal would normally come into effect six months after the notification. But according to the convention itself, if 'on the expiry of that six-month period, the withdrawing state party is engaged in an armed conflict, the withdrawal shall not take effect before the end of the armed conflict.' Mr Zelensky said Ukraine – more than three years into Moscow's invasion – was 'aware of the complexities of the withdrawal procedure when it is carried out in wartime.' 'We are taking this political step and thus sending a signal to all our partners on what to focus on,' he added. Confronted with the invasion, 'Ukraine is compelled to give unconditional priority to the security of its citizens and the defence of the state,' Ukraine's foreign ministry said in a statement. It said the decision to withdraw was 'difficult but necessary' in order to 'protect our land from occupation, and our people from horrific Russian atrocities.'. The move follows similar decisions by Kyiv's allies Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – all neighbours of Russia. In March, human rights groups condemned their intention to pull out from the convention. FOLLOW UPDATES: TWO KILLED, CHILDREN WOUNDED BY RUSSIAN DRONES A Russian drone strike on Ukraine's southern port city of Odessa has killed two people and wounded 14, including children, local authorities said. Moscow has stepped up drone and missile attacks on Ukraine and peace talks initiated by the United States to end the three-year conflict have stalled. 'Rescuers pulled the bodies of two people from the rubble who died as a result of a hostile drone strike on a residential building,' Odessa Governor Oleg Kiper said on Telegram. The night-time strike wounded 14 people, Kiper said, adding that 'three of them children.' Separately, authorities in Ukraine's southern Kherson region said one person was killed and three others were wounded in Russian strikes over the past day. 'Russian troops targeted critical and social infrastructure and residential areas in the region,' the Kherson's governor, Oleksandr Prokudin, said on Telegram. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Russia's offensive, which has forced millions from their homes and devastated much of eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has launched retaliatory strikes on Russia throughout the war. The Russian defence ministry said its air defence had shot down 31 Ukrainian drones overnight. Moscow also said it had captured another village in the Donetsk region, which the Kremlin has claimed as part of Russia since late 2022. Russia has demanded Ukraine cede more land and give up Western military support as a precondition to peace – terms Kyiv says are unacceptable. PUTIN SAYS HE'S OPEN TO PEACE TALKS Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia and Ukraine's demands for peace were 'absolutely contradictory', after two rounds of peace talks have failed to bring the sides closer to an elusive ceasefire. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators swapped memorandums outlining their visions for how to end the three-year conflict at peace talks in Istanbul this month. But other than large-scale prisoner exchanges, the talks have failed to result in any progress toward ending the fighting, triggered by Russia launching its military offensive in February 2022. 'As for the memorandums, as expected, nothing surprising happened … these are two absolutely contradictory memorandums,' Putin said at a press conference in Minsk, Belarus. 'That's why negotiations are being organised and conducted, in order to find a path to bringing them closer together,' he said. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Russia's offensive, which has forced millions from their homes and devastated much of eastern Ukraine. At talks, Russia has demanded Ukraine cede even more land and give up Western military support as a precondition to peace – terms Kyiv says are unacceptable. Putin has repeatedly rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire and has escalated his aerial attacks as his army advances across the battlefield, capturing more territory beyond the five Ukrainian regions Russia claims to have annexed. He said the two sides would 'continue further contact' after prisoner exchanges agreed at the June 2 talks had been completed. The two sides have conducted several swaps since agreeing to each free more than 1,000 captured soldiers – all wounded, ill or under 25. Russia is also ready to hand over the bodies of 3,000 killed Ukrainian soldiers, Putin said. He also acknowledged some economic pressure from the military campaign, which has seen Russia massively increase its spending on weapons and soldiers. '6.3 per cent of Russia's GDP goes on defence needs. That is 13.5 trillion roubles ($172 billion),' Putin said. 'It's a lot,' Putin said, acknowledging it had the potential to create headaches for the government budget. 'We paid for it with inflation, but now we are fighting this inflation,' he added. At the press conference following a meeting with allies in Belarus, Putin also denounced the 'aggressive' pledge by NATO members to increase their defence spending to five per cent of GDP. – with AFP Originally published as Ukraine to withdraw from anti-landmine treaty
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Popular rock band's stolen custom guitar has been found, mandolin still missing
Police in New Jersey have recovered one of 'two irreplaceable instruments' that were stolen from rock band Heart. A custom purple sparkle baritone Telecaster guitar, made for guitarist Nancy Wilson, was returned after a woman bought it from the theft suspect, the Associated Press reported. Surveillance video caught the suspect giving the guitar to a woman who put it in her car before parking a few blocks away from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, where it had been stolen on the eve of their May 31. Police identified the vehicle by using automated license plate readers, the AP reported. Officers then tracked its location and contacted the owner, who voluntarily surrendered the instrument. The person she allegedly bought the guitar from has been charged with burglary and theft, the AP reported. Heart's other stolen instrument, a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin played by Paul Moak for more than 25 years, is still missing. 'These instruments are more than just tools of our trade — they're extensions of our musical souls,' Wilson previously said in a statement shared to Instagram. 'The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul's mandolin has been with him for decades,' she said. 'We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return — no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.' Heart is offering a reward for information leading to the return of the instrument. Anyone with information is urged to come forward and contact the band's tour manager, Tony Moon, at tonymoon@ Known for hits such as 'Crazy on You,' 'Magic Man,' 'Barracuda,' 'What About Love?,' and 'Alone,' Heart has sold more than 35 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Heart resumed the band's 'Royal Flush Tour' in February after postponing it last year as Nancy's sister, lead singer Ann Wilson, had to be treated for cancer. The band has shows scheduled through the end of August. Eric Church fall 2025 tour coming to Boston - Where to buy tickets Band removed from legendary metal group's farewell concert Platinum-selling rapper gets 30 years in prison for killing cousin in 2021 Pop band's member, 64, falls 'seriously ill' ahead of upcoming arena tour Legendary songwriter, co-founder of iconic '60s band dies at 82 Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nancy Wilson says two 'irreplaceable' instruments have been stolen ahead of Heart's tour
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Heart have revealed that two 'irreplaceable' instruments have been stolen from them, just as they were due to embark on their June tour. The band had set up at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on May 30, the day before the first show on their latest US jaunt but were 'devastated' to discover that two instruments had been taken from under their noses. A one-of-a-kind baritone Telecaster, featuring an intricately painted headstock custom-made for Nancy Wilson, and a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin that has been with the band for 25 years were both stolen. 'These instruments are more than just tools of our trade — they're extensions of our musical souls,' says Nancy Wilson. 'The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul [Moak]'s mandolin has been with him for decades. We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return—no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.' Such is the personal value of the distinctive instruments that a reward is being offered to anyone with relevant information. Individuals with information can contact tour manager Tony Moon via email at tonymoon@ The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees are on the road with fellow hall of famers Cheap Trick, and Squeeze, celebrating 40 years since the release of their wildly successful self-titled album. Wilson recently reflected on the making of 1985's Heart, telling Guitar World, that while her beloved acoustic guitar had been the cornerstone of the band's sound, she felt 'pressured' by producer Ron Nevison to ditch the acoustics if they wanted to resonate with the contemporary audience. '[Heart] revitalized the band,' she explained in the same piece. 'It took us up to a whole other level of global success, so there's nothing I regret about what we did or where we compromised.' The latest dates come after they were forced to cancel a 2024 tour, as Ann Wilson revealed she was undergoing cancer treatment. The singer promised they'd be back in 2025, and she has been true to her word. It makes the theft of the two instruments even more heartbreaking. Guitar World hopes they return to the band – as Nuno Bettencourt found following the onstage theft of his prized Washburn, sometimes these stories can have a happy ending.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Classic Rock Band Has Instruments Stolen on Eve of Tour Launch
Classic Rock Band Has Instruments Stolen on Eve of Tour Launch originally appeared on Parade. The classic rock band Heart had their tour plans marred when a thief took some of the band's precious gear as they prepared to kick off the latest leg of their tour on May 31 at the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City, N.J. Among the items missing is a custom-built, purple sparkle baritone Telecaster with a hand-painted headstock, made specifically for . Also stolen was a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin that band member has played for over 25 years. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 'These instruments are more than just tools of our trade—they're extensions of our musical souls,' said Wilson in a statement. 'The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul's mandolin has been with him for decades. We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return—no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.' Fans with information about the instruments are urged to come forward and contact the band's tour manager, Tony Moon at tonymoon@ with any leads. Despite the theft, Heart is continuing their Royal Flush Tour with special guest Tuesday, June 3 in Lexington, Ky. The band's current tour runs through Aug. 30 in Bethel, N.Y. Heart singer has been performing seated after she survived a battle with cancer last year. The singer took a fall in a parking lot earlier this year and broke her elbow in three places, prompting her to perform seated to avoid any further Rock Band Has Instruments Stolen on Eve of Tour Launch first appeared on Parade on Jun 3, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
