by Dana Morin. A few years ago I returned to my homeland of Nova Scotia to spend summer vacation. From BC to Nova Scotia it took me several weeks in both directions, not because I drive slow, but because I have many friends scattered across this great country with which I visited. 4 to 8 hours of driving, two or three days of partying and talk of old times, and then on to the next stop. In each home we gathered around the kitchen table to sing and play in true Canadian form. We treated each other to our own compositions and paid homage to the music we had shared growing up. Neil Young, Stan Rogers, Bob Dylan, the Dead. Songs of our heritage; Scottish/Irish, French/Ukranian, English/German and the new talent influenced by the same roots, Blue Rodeo, Tragically Hip, The Indigo Girls, Ashley McIsaac. Acoustic guitars, voices, fiddles, mandolins, bagpipes, and stories and experiences of our birthplaces and those of our ancestors.

Sitting at yet another kitchen table in Grand Pre, Nova Scotia, I discussed my travels with my old friend Peter D. Little, and he presented me with a tape he and some friends had made of original tunes. Not an uncommon practice, as I now had five or six of these tapes and the motivation to make one myself. What was it with these Nova Scotians, these fine musicians who played for the love of music and company, who were now teachers, doctors, actors, and parents? How much talent lies across this country hidden in the homes of our nation? I am resolved to find out, to provide a big public kitchen to draw us together to share our music, our dreams and our unique Canadian heritage. The best Canadian music is not in the bars or on tape, it is found somewhere…Close to the Fridge.
 Close to the Fridge is intended to provide a intimate venue for Canadian talent who cling to the roots of our music; the acoustic, the unplugged, the good ol' kitchen jam. That which is not "popular music" in the eyes of the industry but in the hearts of those who grew up listening and participating in the sounds of their community. The show ishosted by Kristia Jeanne Sheffield who organizes and introduces guest performers and conducts interviews with the participants. The songs are acoustic and original by nature and are staged in a cozy kitchen, complete with fridge and table. The interviews are simply discussions around the kitchen table, on any topic. But there is a twist…I am also intrigued by the marriage of high-tech and non-tech, perhaps something to do with my day job:). I like watching the interaction of the two and interesting fruit these unions bear. As such, each performance will be broadcast live over the Internet using VXtreme technology, a camera crew, a website with interactive chat, 27 of the hottest acts in town, backgrounds on the band, audio and video files, and when all is said and done around 50 people deserve credit for pulling the shows together. Nothing like keeping things simple.
 Take a step into the future at The Web Café. Canada’s first multimedia café combines a full-service restaurant, a computer databar and a state-of-the-art venue for live performances and special events. Located at The Vancouver Film School’s Multimedia and 3D Animation Campus, The Web Café is also a showcase for student works, not only from VFS, but also SFU, VCC, BCIT, UBC and any other schools that wish to participate. The Web Café aims to foster innovation and experiments, serving as a laboratory for students who wish to push the boundaries of their disciplines, creating new art forms whilst transforming our perceptions of communication, electronic media and the performing arts. The Web Café is the result of a partnership between James Griffin - President of The Vancouver Film School, Richard Appleby - V.P. of the Vancouver Film School, Bud MaLette - a private investor, and David Baker - President of the Web Café.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Start your day off right at The Web Café with our hearty breakfast special while you browse the on-line newspapers. Our lunch and dinner menus feature a wide variety of entrées to suit all tastes, including delicious pizzas, pastas, burritos and specialty dishes. All of our food is oven-baked, not fried. We have a fully-stocked bar and multitalented bartenders. Our kitchen also caters any in-house special events.

COMPUTER DATABAR

The Web Café has all of the latest technologies and new media. On our 16 state-of-the-art computers, enjoy the fastest surfing in town (our fiber-optic Internet connection is 10 Megabits per second), multiplayer games, email, online chat, digital graphics, word processing and much more. Our fully-trained datastaff is always on hand to help you get started, and more in-depth classes and seminars are scheduled regularly.

ENTERTAINMENT

Our stage is a vehicle for innovative local, national and international artists who wish to bring their musical, literary, theatrical or multimedia performance to a global audience. Any event at The Web Café can be broadcast live to the Internet using our real-time video-streaming technology. The sound and light system is second-to-none in this fully-wired venue.

SPECIAL EVENTS

With its unique atmosphere and technological resources, The Web Café actively promotes itself as a location for business meetings, presentations, product launches, media events, interviews, conferences, private parties, celebrity chats, and film and television productions. Our seating capacity is 150, with standing room for up to 222. Even larger events can be held by linking up with other sites around the world via the Internet.