Rocking out with Jessica Paré, Rob Stefaniuk and Calico Cooper at the Suck after-party
The darkly lit and cavernous Phoenix Concert Theatre played host to the Suck after-party last night. A rock and roll theme was in full force, with classic tunes played at top volume and live performances by Mamabolo and The Burning Brides. Aging rockers, as far as the eye could see, bobbed their heads, full manes of long, luxurious hippie hair flipping all about.
Rob Stefaniuk, writer, director and star of Suck, was in attendance with his girlfriend Barbara Mamabolo, an actor in the film and lead singer of none other than Mamabolo. When we asked about the many years it took to get Suck made, Stefaniuk replied, “They were hellish—just ask my girlfriend.” Mamabolo simply smiled.
We found Jessica Paré on the patio, dutifully waiting for her smoking friends. She wore a BCBG hot pink dress, Miss Mak purse and Steve Madden shoes. Never let it be said that starlets aren’t economizers. “I just wish I could sit down,” she sighed. We asked the leading lady about her feelings being back in Toronto versus her native Montreal. “I love Toronto. Maybe I’m a bad Montrealer, but I love it.” When we inquired about playing a villain in the film, she said, “She has problems. She has needs...She needs to murder people!” We could think a lot of worse ways to go than being mauled by Paré.
Rock legend Alex Lifeson (of Rush) performed with The Burning Brides, Calico Cooper (Alice’s daughter) brandished guitar picks all night, and no one made a suck pun. The vampire theme played second fiddle to the music.
Perhaps the only thing not so rockin’ was the bizarre choice of gift bag items. We are now the proud owners of a pashmina, plastic animals, tea, Pirates Of The Caribbean pencils, and most puzzling of all, dolphin stickers.
