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The 13th Annual Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival: The Day in Pixengos

August 12, 2012 by 2 Comments

Hell of a great day yesterday at the 13th Annual Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival!  Took a ton of photos and video to share the day with all of you, but given my current state of exhaustion, you, my friends, are going to have to wait for me to process all of that.

In the meantime, however, I have a teaser for all of you in the form of pixengos Erica and I shot and recorded from the day.  What is a pixengo you ask?  A photo combined with a sound file.  Simply click on the photos below, and you will get the photo with it’s sound bite from the day.

Enjoy!

Up first … rocking the stage for too short a time … No Sinner.

 

Kicking off a great day with a sausage, a beer, and the blues stylings of No Sinner.

 

Followed by one of our festival favourites, Canada’s only 7-piece Bluegrass Band, The Washboard Union.

 

These good old boys certainly know how to play a jig …

 

… and boy do they have style … speaking of which, does anyone know if any of these fellows are single?

 

Followed by the powerful voice and fearsome bass of Meshelle Ndegeocello.

 

mmm … mmm

 

Enjoyed the music of Saskatchewan‘s Deep Dark Woods, but less than cared for a few of their self-obsessed fans. Shame as they really took away from their performance.

 

Not sure what made these self-centered hipsters so self-important that they thought they could stand directly in front of the stage and in front of everyone’s view, even though there was plenty of room to stand off to the side. Rather ruined this act. Glad to say it was the only time we saw this lot all day ~ the hipsters, not Deep Dark Woods.

 

Thank goodness the next act was who I’d been waiting for since I got my tickets, Amadou & Miriam.  They certainly did not disappoint, and got me out of my funk from the hipster asses

 

Apparently it wasn’t only me that loved Amadou & Miriam.

 

Now while not as much of a stomper, the beauty of the music of the next blues man, Kelly Joe Phelps, would tame the wildest beasts with his sweet lullabies.

 

This man would lull the wildest of beasts.

 

Great atmosphere, and only moments after this scene and the end of Kelly’s set, the audience was on their feet giving Kelly a standing ovation.

 

Up next?  None other than the sweet, jazzy blues stylings of Jimmie Vaughan!

 

Well, really what’s there to say, other than mmm … mmm … mmm!

 

And what better way to end the day, than with the Indigo Girls!

 

Still just as fantastic as they were 20 years ago!

 

Did I mention it was a Hell of a great day?!?

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Around the World, BC, Canada, Emme Rogers, Erica, Events, Music, Our Travelers, Perfect Dates, Roamancing, Roamancing the Soul, Tunes from the Road, Vancouver Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Prepare for an Outdoor Music Festival: the One-Day Festival

August 10, 2012 by 8 Comments

With Megan off in San Francisco at the Outside Lands Music Festival for the weekend, and Rob Jones, Erica, Alyzee and I all heading for the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival tomorrow, I have music festivals on the brain tonight, along with what I need to do to prep for tomorrow.  So given that, c     I thought I’d write a post on preparing for the outdoor music festival, specifically focused on the one-day festival.  Hopefully, Megan will give us a similar post, at a later date on the multi-day festival.

 

Photographed by Liz Kearsley

 

Now first off all, you want to check out the festival rules ~ what’s allowed in and what’s not.  In the case of Burnaby Blues & Roots that means:

  • no alcohol from off-site
  • no musical instruments
  • no glass containers or cans
  • no professional cameras
  • no umbrellas
  • no tents or tarps
  • no banners
  • no frisbees / throwing objects
  • no hoola hoops
  • no knives or weapons
  • no laser pointers
This is all pretty standard for festivals.  So knowing what is not allowed, the big question is what is, especially considering we are talking an all weather event.

 

Photographed by Liz Kearsley

 

So for me this means, I want to bring:
  • water – or at least a bottle to fill at the re-fill stations – sealed / empty plastic bottles are allowed
  • a sun hat
  • sunscreen
  • rain gear
  • a sweat shirt (in case it gets cold)
  • blankets / low-back lawn chairs
  • cell phone & charger
  • camera (charged) & charger
  • ID – for my beer tent wrist band
  • cash (& bank card for the bank machine) – for food, beer & the artisans vendors
  • snacks (fruit & veggies are usually the most popular, if it’s a hot day)
  • a cooler to keep the food appealing

 

Photographed by Liz Kearsley

Next you want to get an idea of the set-up of the festival.  In the case of the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival, there are two stages and eight-acts throughout the day, so our plan typically is to get there early and set-up a blanket by each stage, in addition to a few chairs and the cooler on top of the hill between each stage. This way we can wander back and forth between the stages with ease.  Plus it makes it easier to find your friends when we all inevitably end up separated.

Finally, figure out if you’re taking transit or driving, and if so, where the parking is (as it’s generally limited), and plan for extra time in getting there, as it generally takes longer at a festival.  Plus if any friends are arriving late, be sure to warn them of what time the gates close.

 

And last, but not least, have a blast!

 

Kisses,

 

Emme  xoxo

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Emme Rogers, Events, Music, Our Travelers, Perfect Dates, Roamancing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Birthday Celebrations & Travel Inspiration, Thanks to the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival

July 26, 2012 by 2 Comments

We have a long standing summer tradition at Ahimsa Media to celebrate our summer birthdays with those of us that happen to be in Vancouver at the time. You see three of our main team – myself, Alyzee Lakhani and Erica Hargreave all have summer birthdays, and often one of our seasonal storytellers also has a summer birthdays, like Hannia Curi this summer.  Back in the old days this meant legendary parties in Erica’s backyard, hanging out by the fire pit and drinking fresh fruit margaritas with an eclectic mix of people, that often ended in great stories, including weddings. When Erica moved into a townhouse, these epic birthday celebrations nearly died, and they might have had it not been to the fabulous people at Burnaby Culture. You see for the past 4 years our summer birthday celebrations have moved to the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival, and a damn good new birthday celebration this has become.  Something we look forward to each summer.

With Erica’s actually birthday tomorrow (July 27th), I thought I’d share a bit of tease with her and you on what to expect at this year’s festival.  Sharing this particular tease here as opposed to on Being Emme, as this couple of music videos by Amadous & Miriam also act as great travel videos of Mali.

 

Oh Amadou from their album Folio, featuring Bertrand Cantat, directed by Jessy Nottola.

 

Sénégal Fast Food from their album Dimanche à Bamako, produced by Manu Chao.

 

To learn more about Amadous & Miriam and their version of the blues, read on on this post on Being Emme.

Sweet Summer Night Kisses,

Emme xoxo

 

PS. In Full Disclosure: As always, the opinions and thoughts shared here are our own and honest ones. We are bought out by no one. In the spirit of disclosure, it should be noted that Burnaby Culture gives us a few Blues & Roots tickets each year, allowing us to celebrate our birthdays in the best possible way.

 

Filed Under: Africa, All Aboard!, Around the World, BC, Canada, Emme Rogers, Events, Music, Our Travelers, Perfect Dates, Roamancing, Travel TV, Tunes from the Road, Vancouver Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Visit England’s London 2012 Fan in the Van Search

March 27, 2012 by 10 Comments

After having been a part of Vancouver 2010, as a local Vancouverite, writing about the cultural side of the Olympic Games (Cultural Olympiad), I have to say it was a pretty amazing world wind of an experience, and that’s coming from somebody who was not thrilled with how we, as locals were being treated leading up to the experience.  Somewhere along the way, I thought rather than fighting it to embrace it and offered a room for rent at my place (I was near one of the venues), arranged for media passes for myself, booked two-weeks off work and decided what it was that I wished to write about around the games ~ the culture, arts and entertainment. I’m glad I did, as I had an exhaustingly good time and met all sorts of wonderful people.

 

New friends from the Netherlands

 

Fond memories of La Maison de la Suisse

Roamancing is actually one of the results of those two-weeks for me. I’d been toying with the idea for some years, but the travel inspiring culture of the Games and experiences I had at Cultural Houses like Saxony House and La Maison de la Suisse, with the scrumptious food and drink, wonderful music and great people helped push the titillating dream to a reality.  That and the Ursula from Swiss Tourism, who really got what I was talking about around story and gave me the nudge I needed.

The Cultural Olympiad was a tremendous amount of fun. I even hosted my own Olympic Challenge with Vancouver blogger and traveler Hummingbird604 to see who could get the most Olympic dates.  I came out of the gates with a healthy lead, managing three dates my first night out …

 

Olympic Dates 2 & 3 (a few minutes earlier & Date 1 would have been pictured here too)

 

… to steal a kiss with Saxel from the wilds of Saxony (Saxony incidentally had the best beer of any house [and darn good sausages], so not surprisingly I was found there a lot) …

 

Saxel, a moose that stole my heart

 

… to receive a very real kiss during the early morning taping of NBC Today Show atop Grouse Mountain …

 

 

… and unexpectedly find myself in a very real Olympic relationship, which gave Hummingbird604 the edge he needed to pull ahead to win the Gold and leave me trailing behind to receive a Silver medal, in what was certainly a well loved match.

Hell, we even created our own House in Sleepy Little Steveston to celebrate the lone Filipino athlete in the Games …

 

 

… and I may have been seen dancing on a table or two during the Opening Night of the Filipino Bungalow!

Good times!  Had I had it all to do again, I would have planned my storytelling earlier, to take advantage of the various opportunities that existed to a weaver of tales.  I mention this as Tourism England (aka. Visit England / Enjoy England) has a pretty gosh, darn cool opportunity for a UK digital storyteller leading up to London 2012, in the form of the Fan in a Van Search.

 

Will you be the fan in the van?

 

Basically they are putting one lucky budding digital storyteller with a passionate love for England in an iconic Anglomobile, decked out with everything they need to get started on a 70-day, all-expenses-paid trip around their green and pleasant land, following the Olympic Torch.  In return, the fans job is to entertain England with videos, photos, tales of adventure and lots of fun. Having lived the Games, I can honestly say, this would be a once in a lifetime experience.

So how do you win?  It is a 3-round competition with the Round 1 deadline fast approaching.  Here are the details on entering from EnjoyEngland.com:

 

Round One – words and pictures

To put yourself forward as an England fan, simply send us 100 words on your favourite place in England and why you love it, accompanied by a picture you’ve taken to go with it. Deadline: Midnight on Monday 9 April.

Our favourites will carry on to the next two rounds.

 

Round Two – roll the cameras

Send us a 60 second video clip telling us why you love where you live.

 

Round Three – come and say hello

Meet the team at VisitEngland HQ and tell us why you’re the best person for the role.

 

… and here is where to go to to apply.

Good luck and have fun with this!

 

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Around the World, BC, Canada, Contests, Emme Rogers, England, Europe, Events, Meeting Mr. / Ms. Right (or Right Now), Olympics, Our Travelers, Perfect Dates, Roamancing, Switzerland, Travel TV Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vancouver Theatre Giveaway: Victor Victoria at the Metro Theatre

March 15, 2012 by 9 Comments

Oh to be in Vancouver this Saturday, and to be whisked away in my mind to Paris, France in the 1930′s with a prime seat for the entertainment in the Clubs, in just the right spot in the room to eavesdrop on all the shenanigans going on around me, because you know as a writer that is what we absolutely love to do (or at least what I personally absolutely love to do, and then concoct a tale of the people’s lives that I am eavesdropping upon).

 

Victor Victoria at Vancouver's Metro Theatre, March 17th - April 7th, 2012

 

So what exactly am I rambling on about?  Victor Victoria at the Metro Theatre in Vancouver.  Saturday night is Opening Night of the Musical in Vancouver and I often feel like when I am in the theatre, that I am being whisked away to another part of the World, eavesdropping on conversations, only where I’m validated for my speculations and where no one gives me looks of disgust when they catch me in the act of listening in.  Now for those of you that are familiar with the story of Victor Victoria, you’ll know that this will be one juicy conversation to eavesdrop on, as we’ve got a woman that pretends to be a man playing a woman to land a role …  now say that 5x fast … and becomes the bed ‘fellow’ of a gangster that knows she’s a woman, but must hide this from his associates, in order not to be perceived as a homosexual in a macho, gun wielding line of work.  Yes, if I were actually in a Club in Paris listening to this, I am sure I’d be caught in the act of eavesdropping, as this would have just been too juicy not to want to keep edging myself closer, until I was practically sitting in someone’s lap, and then I’d probably end up getting roughed up by the gangsters, and I haven’t taken Ian Mallory’s travel defence training yet, so it’s good thing this is in a theatre, where eavesdropping is allowed.

Sadly I won’t be there, however, as I’m in Ontario this week.  The theatre has kindly extended our tickets to you our readers, so we are hosting a contest here and on Being Emme, giving a pair of tickets away on each site to one lucky reader to attend the Musical on April 4th.

To make this even juicier, I haven’t mentioned who is playing the leading fellow yet, have I?  None other than Jeff Hyslop, the quintessential Phantom of the Opera from the travelling Canadian Production and Jeff the mannequin in the children’s show Today’s Special, will be playing the role of Toddy, Victor/Victoria’s middle-aged gay confidant.  Oh to be able to see Jeff Hyslop on stage in a musical in the intimacy of the Metro Theatre!  No wonder, I’ve been looking green when I eye myself up in the bathroom mirror.  Begrudging missing this one.  Jeff will be complimented on stage by Sylvia Zaradic, as Victor/Victoria.

 

Victor/Victoria and Toddy will be played by Sylvia Zaradic and Jeff Hyslop

 

So how do you win the tickets?  As I mentioned, we have a pair of tickets to giveaway here and a pair to giveaway on Being Emme  for the April 4th Show.  To enter:

  • Comment below with a memorable conversation you once eavesdropped on;
  • The Deadline to enter is Wednesday March 21st, 2012 at midnight PST.

To be entered a second, third and fourth time:

  • Tweet this post with @Roamancing and #VancouverTheatre somewhere in the tweet, so I see the tweet;
  • Share this post on facebook and include @Roamancing in the text when you post it (this should link our facebook page, so I’ll see the post); and/or
  • Share this post on G+ and include @Roamancing in the text when you post it (this should alert me on G+ of your post).

I shall pull the name of one lucky winner from commenters, tweeters, facebookers and G+ers, and announce the winner on Thursday March 22nd.  Very much looking forward to making somebody happy!

Oh, and if sadly you don’t win, the play is running at the Metro Theatre in Vancouver from March 17th – April 7, 2012, with performances on Wednesdays to Saturdays at 8pm and two Sunday Matinees on March 25 & April 1 at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased here.

Kisses,

Emme xoxo

 

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Around the World, BC, Canada, Contests, Emme Rogers, Events, Our Travelers, Perfect Dates, Roamancing, Theatre, Vancouver Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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