The Suspicious Are Back!

...Well, they never really went away. But as with many Peace Region bands, they've undergone their fair share of lineup changes and accompanying hiatus's (um hiatuses?) ... time off.  With the departure of FSJ's esteemed percustitute, Mitch Guindon, remaining members Adam Perrin and Tyson Mowat were not to be left alone for long. Ryan Hennessey offered up his services to fill the vacancy. He says:

"I'd been a fan and a friend of The Suspicious for years, since the first Rockin the Peace event. When Mitch left, I could see the growth that the band had undergone, the set that they had built, I …

Another Northern Music Capital Milestone

What can happen in 5 years? Well...lots actually: Toddlers develop cognitive and motor skills at an exponential rate; economies recess and recover (and recess again); salmon leave the river where they were spawned and then return to complete their life cycle; 2 winter Olympiads; Microsoft gives the world 3 more versions of Windows...

In Fort St. John, however, the passing of 5 years also means Egan’s Open Mic has evolved from a quiet Sunday night jam that featured a handful of performers into a Wednesday night beacon for local musical talent. 5 years of friendships forged, …

National Anthem Singers Needed for 2010 Allan Cup Tournament

The 2010 Allan Cup Tournament is coming to Fort St. John this April 19-24. The tournament organizers thought it would be fantastic if some of our local singers took to the ice before each game to sing our national anthem. If you think you have that majestic Hockey Night in Canada voice ... and you know the words to 'O Canada'... contact the tournament committee through the website www.2010allancup.ca

There will be a performance rehearsal a few days before the tournament, so you needn't be nervous about singing in front of an arena of hockey fans without a practice run. Since the tournament …

On Their Way – Soul Side In Are Ready To Stake Their Claim As The Band To Watch

If I had to put my money on whether or not Lacombe, AB’s Soul Side In is poised to become a household name in Canadian rock I would throw my cash down on a big, drop-D tuned YES!!   I’ve seen them twice in 2 weeks and trust me when I say this all-or-nothing quartet is ready to take off.

If you’re wondering how I’ve come to know this band from ‘over the border’, I’m happy to tell you.  After all, it’s my favourite part of the story.  You see, the bass player is my ex-bandmate Nick Grubjesic.  Nick held down bass duties in two Fort St. John bands:  Side Effect and Mindset  …

“This is our house, beautiful house” – Open Mic @ Egan’s Pub ramps up for 2009

Suppose you asked me 3 and half years ago if I thought an open mic/jam night in Fort St. John was viable? I probably would have said no. Not because there aren’t any musicians in this city, but because the musicians in this city are too busy working, sleeping, working, vacationing, working, shopping in Alberta, etc. Anyone who has lived here long enough knows what I’m talking about. In April 2005 we started anyway, and it was called Jam Night with Ryan Hennessey. Except often times it ended up being Ryan Hennessey…onstage…alone…

In those early days, however, …

This Wednesday (And Kudos For Last Wednesday) - Egan's Open Mic

Holy jeez!!!!  Last week's Open Mic was outstanding!!!  Like really really
really really good!!!  Thanks to everyone who came out, the place was off
the hook!!  There were some new faces too, which was totally great.  i was
feelin the positivity all night...which meant i didn't get home til 2 am.  So the
next time you see me having that much fun, remind me that i might be working the next day!

What's on tap for this week:

Steve Ryan is our headliner.  YAAAY!!! Can't wait to hear ya, brother!

As always, i encourage you all to meet and greet each other, in person or
…

Open Mic Jan 28,2009 Update

Hey everyone...just a quick note to get you all in the know for this week. First off, this year has been great so far and i want to thank you all again for your enthusiasm.  The headliner format is working great....so cool to have that to look forward to at the end of each evening! It's our own weekly concert y'know?  By the way, if you want to let me know you're coming down early...please do so!  i can start building the list before i get there.
 
This week's headliner is well...i don't know if they have a name actually....i'd hate to throw one out there and be wrong!!!  They've …

Mindset - Where Have They Been?

A few years ago, one could have gone to a number of different musical gatherings and listened to local rockers, Mindset. The band played frequently in support of their 2006 album, Trying To Find, landing a coveted opening spot for The New Odds and headlining their own shows at Egan’s Pub.

For much of the last year, the band has been conspicuously absent from Fort St. John stages, preferring to focus on writing and arranging new songs for an upcoming album. The result is a collection of songs that showcase a new level of songwriting experience and maturity. Ryan Hennessey, who plays …

So you wanna start a band, do ya?

All right kids, it’s time to get out of the house, put down the practice DVD’s and test yourself as a live musician. After all, music that can be performed should be performed, correct? Here’s another idea: why go it alone? You’ve got friends who play instruments. That’s it!!! Start your own band!!

Disclaimer: While the preceding paragraph may appear as a whimsical description of the thought process many musicians follow when they start a band…it is, in my opinion, not very far off the truth. They say ‘stuff’ happens…and in Fort …