Our Lady Peace during the 2010 George Street Festival | Photo: Colin Peddle

Night one of the annual George Street Festival kicked off last night and it did not disappoint. Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace capped off a warm and muggy evening on George with a fantastic set that had the whole place rocking.

Check out the rest of the George Street Festival lineup.

Our Lady Peace during the 2010 George Street Festival | Photo: Colin Peddle

Our Lady Peace during the 2010 George Street Festival | Photo: Colin Peddle

Our Lady Peace during the 2010 George Street Festival | Photo: Colin Peddle

Our Lady Peace during the 2010 George Street Festival | Photo: Colin Peddle

Our Lady Peace during the 2010 George Street Festival | Photo: Colin Peddle

Click here to view even MORE photos from Our Lady Peace at GSF

Friday evening featured a lot of good music. I’d attempted to take in as much as possible, hitting up Yellowbelly, Martini Bar, Dusk Ultralounge, Fat Cat and The Majestic Theater.

Despite Matt Anderson being the most popular event of the night, I was left singing a Rowdy Blues song entitled “All I Want Is To Travel” all of Saturday afternoon as I ran errands. You can check them out here.

Also on tap for Friday night was The Lori Cooper Band. My girlfriend quite liked Lori Cooper as well and being that she’s local (Cooper) we’ll probably be making the effort to see her again from time to time. She kind of reminded me of those silly people who just love to dance, sing and carry on… always smiling while aiming to make you laugh and enjoy life.

Rowdy Blues at the Majestic | Photo: Colin Peddle

Rowdy Blues at the Majestic | Photo: Colin Peddle

Lori Cooper at the Fat Cat | Photo: Colin Peddle

Lori Cooper at the Fat Cat | Photo: Colin Peddle

Tidbit time: Lori played keyboard for Thomas Trio and Red Albino, who in my opinion are creators of one of the best songs in Canadian history with “142 Thru”.

Dominic Mancuso at Dusk Ultralounge | Photo: Colin Peddle

Dominic Mancuso at Dusk Ultralounge | Photo: Colin Peddle

Dominic Mancuso at Dusk Ultralounge | Photo: Colin Peddle

Matt Anderson at the Majestic | Photo: Colin Peddle

Matt Anderson at the Majestic | Photo: Colin Peddle

Matt Anderson at the Majestic | Photo: Colin Peddle

Lots more pics from Friday night’s goings on here

I spotted this rather ingenious setup on George Street yesterday evening as I was making my way into the Yellowbelly for some delicious jazz and blues.

Click to enlarge.

Assuming whoever put this here intends to sleep in it overnight, I wonder how they plan on keeping the George Street drunks from trying to crawl in with them post-last call.

Then again, maybe that’s the idea.

I caught the end of a story on the radio this morning stating that the new chief of the RNC would like to see closed circuit cameras installed in George Street to fight crime.

The growing unruliness on George Street, fuelled by the flood of easy to obtain narcotics, has been making a lot of news lately.  But, are closed circuit cameras really the best way to deal with this issue?

With the exception of a scattered patrol car rolling down George Street, with the b’ys in blue warming the seats with their arses, there is next to no police presence in the downtown entertainment district.  If the issue of violence is as bad as the media and RNC would lead us to believe, why are there no foot patrols on the street?

Having the RNC walk up and down the street at night, ears open and looking into the countless alleys seems like the logical way to get a handle on the seedy activity going on downtown, or am I completely out to lunch?

[ Image via ]

The comments on this “news” story are better than the story itself!

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/02/02/nl-cocaine-bars-020210.html?

A charity concert is being held tonight at the Rock House on George Street, with all benefits going to OXFAM (to be used for disaster relief in Haiti).

There will be musical performances by: Allan Ricketts, Ian Foster, Patrick Molloy, Denis Parker, Jerry Stamp, Shawn Beresford, Roziland MacPhil, Mountains and the Trees, Bird and Bear, Karla Pilgrim, Terri Lynn Eddy, Renee Batten, Chris Kirby and the Marquee, Matthew Hornell and the Diamond Minds and the Baytown Connection.

Detailed information on the event, artists and set times can be found on the Facebook Event

I just wish this had some reference to burying dolphins on the beach in it. All the same, nice effort from everyone involved.

As you’re well aware, we are currently in the midst of a St. John’s Time — a collection of various festivals and events, which includes the George Street Festival, the Royal St. John’s Regatta, the Buskers Festival, and the Folk Festival, taking place over the course of 11 days.

What you’re no doubt wondering, however, is how me managed to procure these 11 days in the first place. Three days, you might understand. Four days, I’m sure you’d allow. But 11 days?

It’s common knowledge that we live a half an hour outside of the “normal” time zone slots the rest of the world’s regions fit into. Most assume this has something to do with our geographic location. Most, therefor, would be wrong.

The truth is, we’re forever saving up those half hours. Banking them, if you will. When it’s all said and done, a year of half hours accounts for over seven days.

Tack those seven days onto the four we’ve already granted permissible for a festival, and you’ve got yourself the 11 days in question.

More to the point, you’ve got yourself a St. John’s Time.

This was the scene earlier this afternoon as crews worked to prepare George Street for the hoards of revellers due to engulf this narrow roadway tonight, intoxicated by the sounds of Blue Rodeo and the undeniable novelty of drinking outside.

It might be Thursday, but, as far as many people in this city are concerned, the weekend starts now.

On Saturday, June 20, at The Fat Cat Blues Bar on George Street, St. John’s rock band, the Sellouts will release their newest album, “Breakfast in the Afternoon”.

This is the Sellouts second full length release, a follow-up to 2007’s, “Volume 1”, and has eleven new tracks, including the two songs from which they produced and released videos for earlier this year, Jolene and the title track, Breakfast in the Afternoon.

The Sellouts front-man Jeremy Rice is very happy with the bands sophomore release and, “invites anyone to come out and take part in the celebration that includes great bands, a great venue, and most of all – great friends”. Rice also adds, “We may not be serving eggs or bacon at the show, but we guarantee it’s going to feel just like Breakfast in the Afternoon”.

Event details on the album release party can be found here, and for more information on the Sellouts you can visit Facebook or MySpace.