Shooting at Michigan splash pad leaves 'nine, maybe 10 victims': authorities
Gunfire erupted at a splash pad in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, leaving as many as 10 people wounded, authorities said.
After a long and unexpected intermission due to COVID-19, musicians and buskers are back to performing in Montreal’s Metro stations, a welcome soundtrack returning to some of the city’s busiest commuter hubs.
Sarah Vanderzon is just one of the musicians who has been welcomed back into the space with her guitar. She told CTV News that she’s happy to be back in the Metro.
“When you’re singing at home, for me, I just sing to a wall,” she said.
“Even if there's just one person that passes every five minutes, it's way better than to be in a small space [by yourself] and just kind of singing. There's no atmosphere when you're singing alone.”
She first started playing in the Metro in 2017, after auditioning through a program to select buskers for the transit system. Now, she has a spot she reserves.
“People come and go, they smile, they’re happy, I’m happy, I’m glad to be here,” she said.
“Your voice travels, so I love the space, that's what I love, I love the reverb.”
From cafes to concert halls, all gigs came to a grinding half last spring, putting passions and potential paycheques on hold. For those who busk in the Metro, it’s not often a big payday.
“In an hour I can easily make $100 or I can also make $10, so it really varies,” Vanderzon said. “Depends on people's humour during the day, if it's pay week. You never know.”
Vanderzon said that when she used the Metro on a regular basis for transportation, buskers were her favourite part. Some people who have heard her perform in the Metro have then talked to her, followed her on social media and even attended her formal shows outside of busking.
“It’s honestly really great for musicians,” she said.
When the pandemic hit and the program that allowed buskers into the Metro was cancelled, she pivoted to doing livestreams of her music.
“I wrote a lot during the pandemic,” she said. “There was definitely a void, I was definitely feeling like I was missing out, so when they approved [buskers returning to the Metro] I was like: ‘Ah, this is great, a great way to get back into it.’”
She’s not the only musician who appreciates the chance to play in the Metro.
Geoff Zachernuk picked up the violin five years ago, but still considers himself a beginner. Living in close quarters with other people, including his landlord, it’s not easy to practice at home, particularly during the pandemic.
“I haven’t heard my instrument for two years,” he said. “I have to play with the mute on at home, so here I can listen to my instrument and I can work on my sound.”
Busking in the Metro is a chance for him to work on both his skills and his confidence, helping him get over his fear of playing in front of other people.
“Also I’m getting paid to practice, so that’s huge for me,” he added.
“It doesn’t really matter how much I make as long as I’m doing something I love.”
He pointed out that “things have been kind of desperate for a couple years now” for many people due to the pandemic, and that music “gives people a little bit of hope.”
Vanderzon agrees, saying that some people have told her she’s made their day by performing on their commute.
“It’s heartwarming, I really enjoy it here,” she said.
According to Vanderzon, not every station is allowing buskers back in, but by summer, she’s hoping the music will be everywhere again.
Gunfire erupted at a splash pad in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, leaving as many as 10 people wounded, authorities said.
The Edmonton Oilers' offence exploded in Game 4 to beat the Florida Panthers 8-1.
Canadians would get more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits each year through an automatic tax filing system, according to a report published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
Donald Trump blamed immigrants for stealing jobs and government resources as he courted separate groups of Black voters and hardcore conservatives in battleground Michigan on Saturday.
The owner of a northern Ont. camp is continuing to clean up after an intense storm that prompted a tornado warning Thursday ripped through the area breaking his dock and downing trees.
The City of Calgary declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning in response to the latest developments in a major water main break that is impacting the city.
Toronto police are appealing for witnesses and information as they deploy a “significant amount of resources” into the investigation of the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy in Scarborough on Saturday afternoon.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has concerns with how conclusions were gathered in a spy watchdog report.
London put on a display of birthday pageantry Saturday for King Charles III, a military parade that marked the Princess of Wales ' first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year.
Fancy Pokket owner Mike Timani has decided to create a 220-foot long flat bread to celebrate its 35th anniversary.
If certain goals that are in the Paris Climate Accord aren't met, the existence of polar bears in the Hudson Bay may come to an end.
In an attempt to invite one of the most popular recording artists in the world to the land of living skies – the City of Swift Current has offered to rename itself in honour of Taylor Swift.
More than a dozen dogs arrived by Cargojet early Thursday morning to the People for Animal Wellbeing Shelter to find a permanent place to call home in New Brunswick.
Peggy's Cove, N.S., is one of the most famous locations in the Maritimes. Recent visitors were treated to more than just the iconic landmark.
Hundreds of fans lined up to meet the Trailer Park Boys in Dartmouth, N.S., Tuesday, as Ricky, Bubbles and Julian promoted their new brand of potato chips.
Car break-ins plague Canadians across the country, but instead of worrying about theft, a northern Ontario woman is cleaning up a big mess that she says will not be covered by insurance after a black bear broke into her Honda Civic and took a nap.
Members of a Hutterite colony in southern Alberta have potentially built the world's tallest structure made of Popsicle sticks.
A dog who spent the first three-and-a-half years of his life suffering and almost a year at a shelter has found his forever home, according to the BC SPCA.