The event was the 604 Records showcase – no relation although my ears did perk up whenever someone thanked ‘604’.
We arrived in time to catch Jessie Farrell on stage and Lisa Bettany in the crowd, snapping some shots of her performance. Although country music never has been my thing, you can tell these artists are very talented and from the reaction of the audience they have a huge fan-base.
The next set was performed by Aaron Pritchett and his band. He’s a very talented up-and-coming Canadian country star and as Duane started to get in the country groove he related to such lyrics as, “hold my beer while I kiss your girlfriend.”
Before Armchair Cynics took the stage we discovered something unsettling; Ianiv was being hassled at the bar because they wanted him to pay for a glass of water. Apparently the Red Room has a policy that tap water is only free if you order it alongside a purchased alcoholic beverage. Being the designated driver for the evening he was not about to order a rum and coke so he disputed the charge they were enforcing for a single glass of H20. It put a bit of a damper on the evening but the music kept our spirits up.
With a bitter taste left in our parched mouths, we sat through two songs of the set by Armchair Cynics and had to take off. For a girl who never has never been a super fan of country music, the first half of the night was the most enjoyable by far.
Next week’s Third Tuesday is once again sponsored by Miss604.com in the form of blog coverage and prize offerings.
What:Third Tuesday with guest speaker Darren Barefoot Where: Century House, 432 Richards Street When: Tuesday May 20th, 2008 @ 7:00pm (yes, I know I say 21st in the video)
While I was picking up my passes for New Music West I decided to have a little look around the offices and scoop some swag. One item that caught my eye was a CD case:
The paper we print on is either recycled or is made from wood that has been logged responsibly. 100% recycled paper stock has been an MMS manufacturing option for many years. And now, almost all of our standard products (booklets, tray cards, DigiPaks, posters) are printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified papers… [MusicManufacturing]
The folks over at Music Manufacturing Services have gone full steam ahead in revolutionizing the music industry. They currently offer the “green CD” packaging including the paper case, potato starch foam tray, vegetable-based inks for printing, biodegradable overwrap, and the entire company is committed to reducing its carbon emissions.
Holding this cardboard and potato-made case in my hands it’s just as light as a plastic jewel case, it has a slot on the side for any additional artist info and the entire cover and back are printable. The only draw back is that MMS is in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, so there’s no location in BC that can supply these cases for local artists. However, I think fans should truly appreciate an artist who has gone out of their way to provide a more sustainable method of getting their music to the masses in this manner.
I have hundreds of jewel cases around the house just collecting dust as the actual CDs themselves ended up in books for under the seat in the car over the years. The MMS cases would definitely take up less room in the home and on shelves. I think it’s great to see an innovation like this, and I’m always a fan of discovering a product is made of potato (is there anything it can’t do?).
In the first post of the Day Tripping series I talked about the town of Hope being the gateway to holidayland, however it could also be looked at as the gateway to hell.
Although heading north on Highway 1 is actually a quite lovely experience the fiery inferno of Hades is simply a reference to the tumultuous rapids that squeeze through a 110 meter-wide passage between vast vertical chasms in the Fraser Canyon.
Simon Fraser himself (after which the river was named) dubbed the passage as such in 1808 writing in his journal, “surely this is the gate of hell.”
Located just south of Boston Bar, Hell’s Gate itself is a bit of a tourist trap as they have installed an airtram that takes you over the restless river below and to the other side of the canyon. Once across, you can buy maple syrup, stuffed beavers in Mountie outfits, and get your picture taken with large chainsaw-carved animals.
There is a suspension bridge you can cross instead if you’re not afraid of heights, however part of the journey heading up to Hell’s Gate is some of the other attractions along the way.
Alexandra Bridge – The old highway crossing still intact, however the floor of the bridge is that loosely spaced metal grating (like when you are walking on to the Ferry car deck) so I wouldn’t recommend looking down if you’re squeamish!
Lake of the Woods – an awesome pitstop just past Hope (if heading North) with picnic benches and paths down to a perfect lake for plunging into after a long drive on hot day.
Driving from Vancouver to Canyon should take about two hours, then it’s probably another 30-40 mins until you reach the Airtram at Hell’s Gate. If you do head up, check out the fish elevators (when you look down because I know you will) those are also pretty cool.
A quick 40 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay will lead you to Langdale terminal, and I must point out (because I’ve been asked countless times) that the all-encompassing Sunshine Coast is not on an island – even though you take a ferry to get there.
For about ten years I attended summer camp in Roberts Creek so I came to know the coast pretty well. Also, my best friend’s grandparents lived over there so once she got her license we’d cruise the strip in Sechelt looking for trouble. Okay, there was no cruising of the strip although I wonder if they have installed an actual stop light since I was there last. But I digress.
The Town of Gibsons has two main commercial areas: Upper Gibsons which has a number of shopping malls, restaurants, services and a light industrial area located on Gibsons Way and Lower Gibsons which is a quaint fishing village with bakeries, cafes, and shops that surround the bustling fishing wharf, a seawalk and the Gibsons Harbour.
Recent developments in the Town include the Downtown Revitalization of Lower Gibsons, a new log wharfinger building and boardwalk over the breakwater, and the development of the Winegarden Waterfront Park. [Gibsons]
The Sunshine Coast towns offer fishing, camping, hiking, gorgeous beaches, boast “an internet savvy population,” and the best part is that the cost of the ferry is only charged one way. Also, you can walk on the ferry at Horsehoe Bay and use the Sunshine Coast Transit System to save money, and the environment during your outing.
In Gibsons you’ll be able to take in a Sunday Market, enjoy Jazz Week from June 7-15, and even the World’s Best Water (that one the “Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting” contest in 2005 [wiki]). It’s come a long way from its Beachcomber days, and I even remember when it got its first Wendy’s/Time Horton’s – that was a pretty big summer for us. Now that the nice weather is creeping up on us, and that one of my dearest friends lives over there, we’ll have to make a point of day tripping to Gibsons in the near future.
Tonight I took in my first taste of New Music West alongside Arieanna, Ianiv, and Duane (who was my official photographer for the evening) at the Red Room.
