Successful Cosmic Grounds Open Mic
Cosmic Grounds hosted a open mic on November 5, and for those who weren't able to make it out - you missed o
ut on the best open mic yet. For the last three months Cosmic Grounds has been hosting an open mic for any and all to come out and play some music or just to come lounge out and enjoy some of the local talent. Performers who showed up included Ryan Sebastiano, Ry Williams, Paul and Jisca, Jason Kowenhowen, Mat Savard and Shawn Sound of the band S.M.A.
Fortunately for those who couldn't make it, a recording of the show was made of the entire nights performance. Registered users click the "read more" link on the bottom of the article to hear recordings of the live show at Cosmic Grounds. unregistered users sign up now (its free!) to hear more recordings of the of open mic.
SMA - Yours Truly (Live at Open Mic)
Check Out the World's Best Commercials
The Fort St. John Film Society presents The World's Best Commercials!
Come out to the Lido on Monday, June 14th to see the commercials that go above and beyond the norm.
Tickets are $8 in advance, available at Cosmic Grounds. Tickets are $9 at the door.
Show starts at 7:00pm.
Leave some room for popcorn!
Jared Fowler and Lorissa Scriven at Cosmic Grounds
Father of Five Leaves Family!
To play music in B.C.’s Expansive North, that is.
Although not technically abandoning his wife and family, Jared Fowler will be touching off his Traveling Dixie Cups tour of BC beginning March 18th, 2010 and running till April 24th, 2010 to promote his debut indie CD. The CD, which is set to release on March 1st, is entitled “Vancouver Rain”. Although the CD is presented with a full six-piece band in stereophonic sound, the tour will be an acoustic, one man performance.
Recently returned from the cultured and musical venues of Montreal, Jared has drawn his inspiration from the places, events and experiences that have defined his life, consequently, his music can be best described as songs about “heart ache and heart break… with a smile”. His music is an honest mix of upbeat Indie ballads, reflective love songs, and good ol’ fashioned Rock N Roll.
Jared has been writing and performing his music for the last 12 years, from Fort Smith, Arkansas to Fort St. John, British Columbia. He currently resides in the suburbs of Vancouver, and plays often at local and provincial festivals and events, most notably the Cranberry Festival in Fort Langley and the Berry Beat Festival in Abbotsford.
You can catch Jared and the Travelling Dixie Cups Tour in Fort St. John on Saturday, March 20 at Cosmic Grounds (7pm - admission by donation) along with the winner of RocKIN the Peace 2010, Lorissa Scriven.
Fort St. John Film Society Presents: An Education
1960's London? A young woman's coming-of-age story woven with her romance with a man nearly twice her age? A Sundance Film Festival award winner? Sounds like a film for the Fort St. John Film Society!
With that in mind, it's no surprise that the FSJ Film Society will be showing An Education on Monday, February 8 at 7pm at the Aurora Cinema. Tickets are $8 in advance (at Cosmic Grounds or the Visitor Information Centre) or $9 at the door.
An Education is a 2009 Britsh film based on an autobiographical memoir of the same title written by the British journalist Lynn Barber. The film was directed by Lone Scherfig, with screenplay written by Nick Hornby. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, won the Audience and Cinematography award, and went on to be nominated for numerous other awards including the Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
An Education is the story of a teenage girl's coming-of-age set in 1961 London, a city caught between the drab, post-war 1950s and the glamorous, more liberated decade to come. Jenny (Carey Mulligan) stands on the brink of becoming a woman: a brilliantly witty and attractive 16-year-old whose suburban life is about to be blown apart by the utterly unsuitable 30-something David (Peter Sarsgaard). Urbane and witty, David manages to charm her conservative parents Jack (Alfred Molina) and Marjorie (Cara Seymour). David introduces Jenny to a glittering new world of classical concerts and late-night suppers with his attractive friend and business partner, Danny (Dominic Cooper) and Danny's girlfriend, the beautiful but vacuous Helen (Rosamund Pike). Just as Jenny's family's long-held dream of getting their brilliant daughter into Oxford seems within reach, Jenny is tempted by another kind of life.
Cosmic Grounds All-Ages Open Mic
You may have been wondering over the past months: "What the @$%* happened to Cosmic Grounds Open Mic?"
Although I don't know the answer to that question, I do know that in conjunction with the City of Fort St. John's Spirit Week, Cosmic Grounds will be hosting one of their famed Open Mics this week! Thursday, November 26 will see the coffee shop opening its doors to performers and patrons of all-ages. Being one of the few all-ages venues in town, this is an important event in our local music scene so come out and support it ... there can be no Open Mic if no one shows up!
The Open Mics at Cosmic Grounds always prove to be especially open - I've listened to everything from bluegrass to hip hop to punk rock to poetry readings! So don't be shy, this welcoming and diverse atmosphere makes a great place to try out new material or even to get on stage for the first time. Open Mic will get rolling around 7pm and all you need to do is bring your instrument down and sign up!
Northern Groove Weekly Released
The Northern Groove Weekly has now officially been launched!
Northern Groove Weekly is a supplement to the Northern Groove monthly magazine and is a free events listing letting you know what the music & arts happenings are for the upcoming week. The weekly will be distributed every Thursday - just in time to make your weekend plans.
This week's edition has hit the streets and is available all over town. Make sure to pick up a copy, next week is absolutely cram-packed with events ... I'm talking at least one every day!
You can pick up a copy at Whole Wheat n' Honey Cafe, Cosmic Grounds, Retro Relics/The Rabbit Hole, North Peace Cultural Centre, Egan's Pub, JD Fitzgerald's Pub and Resturant, Systems by Trail, and Simply Music, to name a few.
City of Fort St. John Spirit Week
On January 31, 2010, the Olympic Flame will arrive in Fort St John as part of the official Olympic Torch Relay.
In order to get things a-buzzin' in the community and prepare for the arrival of the Olympic Torch, the City of Fort St. John is throwing a Spirit Week that will run for nine days between November 20-29.
The action pack week kicks off at 6pm this Friday, November 20, with the Santa Claus Parade and Annual Tree Light Up in Centennial Park . The week includes activities for everyone - sporting events, arts & cultural activities, and educational opportunities. In addition, there will be live music events featuring local talent every night of the week thanks to a Spirit Week partnering between the city and Northern Groove!
It's going to be a busy week! Here's just a sample of the musical happenings:
Mon. Nov 23 - Six String Nation Guitar
Tues. Nov 24 - DiVerseCities Book Launch: An Evening of Literature and Music
Wed. Nov 25 - Egan's Open Mic
Thurs. Nov 26 - Cosmic Grounds Open Mic
Fri. Nov 27 - Rock n' Roll House Party
Sat. Nov 28 - Ryan Hennessey CD Release Party with Special Guest Rob Szabo
Visit the events section of our website for more info on these and other music and arts events happening next week..
Click here to download the full Spirit Week schedule.
New Northern Groove July & August 2009
The Latest Northern Groove Magazine is out and has hit the streets. The July and August Edition (featuring the Music and Art Downtown Map) has hit the streets this morning and is available for free at the following locations:
Cosmic Grounds
Whole Wheat 'n Honey
Systems By Trail
Simply Music
Computer Factory
Egan's Pub
Arts Post
The Rabbit Hole / Retro Relics
More!
Encouraging Arts & Music in Downtown FSJ
Music just may be the key to the long-awaited revitalization of downtown Fort St. John.
Two venues have made music a priority and those in the know are flocking to Whole Wheat & Honey and Cosmic Grounds whenever there’s music in the air.
Cosmic has been hosting hugely popular Open Mics on a monthly basis, while WW&H is continuing to hold fantastic ticketed shows including an upcoming encore performance of Sean Ashby, a reggae rock trio (The Brian MacMillan Trio), and a locally grown folk band called Miss Quincy and the Ramblers (See article on Page 30!)
Each facility draws music lovers from all over the region to the downtown core area, and neighbouring merchants have to love that.
The owners of both say the music will continue to rock on.
“It’s a tradition with Cosmic Grounds,” said Peter Schar, who has owned the 100th Street coffee shop for over a year and who plans to keep the Open Mic events going.
“It’s the spirit of local people playing traditional music and coming to a traditional coffee house,” he said. “I think it’s an asset to the downtown and we hope we can get first-timers out to play who might otherwise be intimidated at playing for larger crowds.”
Marie Mallis, who opened Wheat & Honey at the corner of 100th Street and 100th Avenue, calls the music shows “entrancing”.
“Of course we’ll continue, as often as anyone wants to play,” she said.
“The music is beautiful and it’s an obvious fit, with the candlelight and the good acoustics being very Whole Wheat & Honey.”
For a complete list of upcoming events at both Whole Wheat ‘n Honey and Cosmic Grounds, visit www.northerngroove.com
“it’s an asset to the downtown”
June Music & Events Magazine Northern Groove Now Available
This months edition of Northern Groove has come back from the printers and has been scattered around town at all the music and events lovin' venues and stores!
This months edition features articles on Fort St. John's Deere John country band, a feature on the Local Music Documentary put out by Alysha Galbreath, information about local performer / band, the Kyle Night Band, and a story written by Jody Peck of Miss Quincy and the Ramblers.
The magazine is available at Cosmic Grounds, Whole Wheat 'n Honey, Systems By Trail, Simply Music, The North Peace Cultural Centre, Egan's Pub, and many many other stores across the Peace Country.
For more info on the Northern Groove Magazine please leave a message for Russell at 250-663-8791.
Feedback and inquiries are always welcome! Click here to download the PDF version.