Some Ups and Downs

AN UP - Buskerfest is over and done with for another year and it was a huge success. Thank you to all the sponsors, volunteers, spectators and performers that made this year amazing.

A DOWN - The son of a long-time friend of Rob's died recently. Very sad and tragic...he was only 24 years old.

AN UP - We got to visit with a long-time friend of Rob's who we haven't seen since our wedding back in 2000. Just wish it was under happier circumstances.

A DOWN - Rob's Grandmother passed a way at the age of 89 on Monday night. Rob is currently in Brockville for the funeral. Thank you to Jay and Carrie for the truck loan. You guys rock! By the way, if anyone is thinking of flying to Brockville for any reason, DON"T. A return flight from the Sault is over $1700.00, if you can even believe that!!

AN UP - Danner and I will be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for the Big Smoke to see Rancid on September 1 at the Kool Haus and then Ben Harper on September 2 at the Molson Amphitheatre. Very exciting!

A DOWN - Rancid never even read the multiple messages I sent them through MySpace requesting permission to photograph their show in Toronto. I'm sad.

AN UP - I will be seeing Tim Armstrong in the flesh....fuckin' eh....

A DOWN - I am trying to not spend money in order to accommodate the up coming instalation of new windows in my house, so no merch purchases for me at the aforementioned concerts. It is going to take every fibre of will in me to not buy merch...I'm a sucker for the stuff.

AN UP - I'm getting new windows soon and the sun is shining.

A DOWN - My dogs will suffer serious separation anxiety while we are gone. Thankfully, Shauna has aggreed to stay with them over night. Thanks baby!

AN UP - I went to the second Beer Tasting at Loplops lastnight with Patti and George and it was a religious experience. One of the beers was the Mill St. Coffee Porter. Are you even fucking kidding me with that?! It combines two of my most favouritest things in the world and was utterly devine......must....get....more....NOW!!

A DOWN - There are no signs that Social Distortion will be on tour anywhere in the area any time soon. Dammit! I need another dose of that Mr. Ness....

AN UP - Due to Rob's recent record review on his blog, Les Becker has become a fan of Social D. Gooble-gobble, gooble-gobble, one of us, one of us....

Blogelation...Julio's Buskerfest Rerun Dance...

This took me forever to do and the quality of the photos is not the greatest because I had to compress the video in order to upload it into YouTube, but here it is anyway. Not bad for my first attempt at using iMovie, I think...

...oh yea...turn your volume up...waaaaay up...



Please let me know what you think...

Blogelation..."Ready to upload 849 photos?"...

This what iPhoto said to me this morning when I plugged in my memory card. It was at that point I decided I should burn some of the 4782 pictures I have stored on my computer onto discs in order to make room for the new batch. I suppose it would be smart for me to back them up anyway...this is gonna take me a while. *sigh*

849 PHOTOS!! What the hell?! Will someone please tell me to stop taking pictures?....II just can't help myself. I think I need to go to rehab or something.

So all in all, I think Buskerfest went fairly well. No major injuries. No kids passed out from heat stroke. Only a couple of disputes among the performers, although they were a cause of enormous stress for me and gave me pimples. And only one small child got accidentally lit on fire.

This year's group of performers was a blast to hang with...and they could all pound back the booze like sailors on leave, especially our two french ladies...WOW!! And every single one of them had great things to say about Sault Ste. Marie.

Jeff Krahn, AKA Scot Free, said his Saturday evening show was one of his favourites ever and he has been doing this for 15 years. The Coralies kept teling how friendly everyone was and said although it was a small festival, it was one of their favourites. Jeff Hill said he fell in love with Sault Ste. Marie and the people here the first time he performed here in 2004. He really wants to come back next year. The USA Break Dancers loved the food...and the ladies...and the Hennessy. During our final dinner at Gran Festa Sunday evening, everything was quiet as we enjoyed our meals, and out of the blue in a loud, deep voice Julio exclaimed, "FUCK IT!! Screw Toronto and lets stay here for another weekend. The food here is too fuckin' good!"

Making the performers happy and welcome iis one of the prime objectives of the Buskerfest Committee, so these little things mean a lot to me. We want the word to spread in the busker world that the Sault is the place to be. We may be smaller but we're better.

Alright...enough chit chat. On to the momment you've been waiting for. Pictures.

...the Pirate...thanks again, Mark...


The USA Break Dancers...







Ivan Bellari, the fire guy...
...he lights himself on fire...cool...

...the flaming comb over...funny...

...some amazing fire breathing...



The Coralies...



Jeff Hill...I still can't watch the razorblade trick...*shudder*


...Scot Free...




Trulee Odd...


The Buskerfest Cabaret at Loplops Lounge...that was funny and freaky shit!...
...that's me on fire!...

...that's Jessica on fire!...

...that's a funny shot of Curt in my way...nice goin', dude...

...that's Scot Free as "Fesso the Clown" in a bra...

...that's Trule Odd in the thong we bought at the sex shop...

...that's a bunch of bloggers looking at Trulee Odd in the thong...

...that's a couple of white dudes layin' down some phat beats for the break dancers...


That's all for now folks. Remember the whole 849 picture thing? Yea...it's gonna take me a while to sort them all, but I wanted to share a few of my favourites with y'all. Check back soon for more...and more....and even more...

CHEERS!!

Blogelation...the Cabaret in a Nut Shell

Buskerfest Cabaret...Loplops Lounge...I got lit on fire and Scot Free took a picture of Mark Hohmann's junk...'nuff said.

Blogelation...Busker Sex Shop Run

Ever gone to a sex shop with a Busker?...no?...well I have and it was weird. Apparently Trulee Odd needed to get a thong for this eve's Cabaret Show. What kind of thong did he get and will it actually stay on? Attend the more adult themed Buskerfest Cabaret happening tonight at Loplops Lounge to find the answers to these pressing questions. Start time about 11:00pm. Ticket price; $10.00.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Buskerfest Photo show coming soon to Salckhopper's Stuff and Things...

Blogelation...Buskerfest Day One Done

Buskerfest's first day is now said and done with and I am tired as fuck...you heard me.

All the acts were amazing...at least on the stage. We seem to have hired ourselves a couple of prima donnas this year who shall remain nameless...UNLESS they cause me to melt down again...then, boys, I'm sorry but the magic gloves will come off and you'll cry like little girls.

Yes, the rest of the committee has told me I do not have to be there for the beginning on Saturday in order to give me a break. In all honesty, I more than likely will be there for the beginning anyway because I want to catch the acts and take more pictures.

So now on to the performances...

I caught all of the USA Break Dancers and they blew me away. In fact, I have a funny story about them witch made me very excited. Less than a week ago I saw a documentary called "Style Wars" at Shannon and Maria's place...a documentary about the whole graffiti/break dancing movement in New York City in the early 80's. In said documentary there was an AMAZING break dancer named "Crazy legs" who revolutionized and ushered in the break dancing style we see today. Turns out two of our own USA Break Dancers, Cuba and Will...aaahhh, Will...all I will say is "YUMMM"...anyway, their very first break dancing instructor was none other than, you guessed it, Crazy Legs. I found that really freakin' cool...and impressive...and just down right neat-o.

I also had the pleasure of viewing all of Ivan Bellari's show. He is one of only seven people in the world who does what he does...fire breathing. It was a more than impressive spectacle of flame and...well...more flame. Visually stunning. He weighs 400 pounds and eats fire and can be kinda scarey...but he's really a big pussy cat. Don't be scared, kids.

I only caught snippets of jeff Hill, the Coralies, Trulee Odd and Scot Free. From what I saw, they are all top notch entertaineers...very funny and very talented...and I plan on seeing and photographing all their performances tomorrow.

Right now I need to sleep...and find more volunteers to cover tomorrow night. Wanna help? Call me. So tired.

Did you know when you do spell check in blogger and it comes across the word "freakin'", it thinks the most suitable replacement word is "foreskin"?...and now I giggle...

Blogelation...and it begins...

So after some insanity this morning and only about two melt downs on my part, Steve saved me with the ever-reviving 12 CCs of suds and Buskerfest is officially under way.

The time is currently 5:56 in the pm and there is a good crowd of all ages gazing in delight and wonder at the oddities in the pitch. Two acts have performed; Trulee Odd and Jeff Hill, both of which wowed our fair city. The USA Break Dancers are up next and I am STOKED!!

...will write more soon...

yay buskerfest!

Buskerfest Blogelation: Prologue

The Buskers have arrived. We have consumed adult frosty beverages...and make shift tex mex food. The pitch has been surveyed. The piper is booked. My head has not yet exploded.

The event is set to kick off tomorrow at 3:30 in the pm and all seems to be going according to the grand scheme...that scheme being that no one who is not supposed to gets lit on fire, the public is entertained and I don't murder someone in the mean time....

...oh yea...and that my husband doesn't leave me 'cuz I have been ignoring him for the past 6 months...that's a biggie...

This is the third year for this oh so unique Sault festival and it keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. Six acts, three days and more entertainment than you can shake a devil stick at. What more do you want? Here are the official festival times;

Friday August 11 - 3:30 to 10:30
Saturday August 12 - 11:30 to 10:30 with the more adult Cabaret happening at Loplops at around 11:30
Sunday August 13 - 10:30 to 6:30

Be there or I will be forced to send Ivan after you and he eats small children and lights himself on fire for amusement...'nuff said.

I Have Seen The Light...But In A Completely "God May or May Not Exist" Sort of Way...

Ummm...yea....I just saw one of the best bands I think to ever come through the Sault. They blew me and everyone else in attendance at Loplops away. They are the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir.

Not only do they have a really cool name, their sound is...well...I picture it this way; Muddy Waters, Tom Waits and Hank III went on a week long bender and at the end of said bender they puked up the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir.

...yea, that works...

I bought a disc and plan on playing for anyone who will listen. I plan on playing it so much, it'll have to be replaced next week. I plan on driving everyone I know crazy with it until they love the music as much as I do. I plan on figuring out how to post a song on this here blog to spread the word and share the music...it must be done.