It
has been a privilege and an honor to have been a part of Marcel's
life thus far; to witness the beginning of his relationship
with the beautiful Marie-France and ultimately, their wedding
just this year.
Marcel
has not only honored us with his friendship, warmth, and unique
humour, he has completely floored us with his wedding gift,
a honeymoon in England.
Whatta
Pal!
We are proud to name Marcel "Pal of the Month" for
May 2004
Al LaBelle
Whether
singing with friends at O'Brien's
or Swizzles
or commanding the Barrymore's stage with his amazing
Led Zepplin Tribute Band: theviberemainsthesame,
Al remains at all times, humble, inclusionary and gracious.
a great showman & a great friend.
This
has been a banner year for Al. He tried out for his 1st ever
stage production, TOMMY and won the role of Hawker as well as
numerous ensemble cast pieces. He ROCKED!
His band, theviberemainsthesame
(formerly
known as Kashmir) has become a regular fixture at Barrymores.
We
are proud to name Al "Pal of the Month" for June 2004
Alison Wilson
Alison has been one of our longest and strongest supporters.
She
has been the 1st to have earned 20 paws
(having come out to support us at over 20 different venues). [see: DOG &
PONY Pals]
Singing
and music are a family affair for Alison. She met her life partner,
Doug while in a band. They hit it off and decided to make their
own beautiful music together.
We
are proud to name Ali "Pal of the Month" for July 2004
Scotty Buckley
Scotty has been one of our longest and strongest supporters.
After
months of carrying his personal collection to our shows, Scotty
actually donated his entire private collection and graciously
allowed us to distribute the collection amongst the libraries
for everyone to enjoy! Whatta Pal!
"What
the hell", says Scotty, "I only ever sing at your shows
anyways!"
When her best friend Neal was recently
called upon to manage operations while we were on our honeymoon,
Roxy "ponied up" to help carry equipment and to support
Neal at every show (despite having to get up for work the next
day AND despite the fact that he wasn't her boyfriend...yet!)
Roxy can always be counted on to support her friends.
Congratulations
to Neal & Roxy on their official coupledom (finally) ;)
Delightful,
lovable, fun loving ...We are proud to call Roxy a
Pal and a friend! We
are proud to name Roxy "Pal of the Month" for September
2004
Robert Harmer
The
epitome of style...
When
we think of style, grace & charm, Robert immediately comes
to mind. He
is a man of immense talent from designing some of the coolest
clothes we've ever seen to infusing songs with his own unhurried
timing and style.
One
of the kindest and most gracious individuals, Robert makes everyone
he touches feel special and invited.
Delightfully
warm & loving
...We are proud to call Robert a
Pal and a friend!
We
are proud to name Rober "Pal of the Month" for October
2004
Mike Heffernan (aka Binary
Rhyme aka Biny)
Mike
dedicates himself to art, singing, photography, music, painting,
sculpting...anything that tickles the senses and elevates the
soul.
If
you haven't met him by now (after 3 years of being a regular
face at many of our shows and a 10 paw pal) you will know him
soon. Mike has generously donated his photography skills over
the years, covering such events as The
Barrymores Revue, Pump Idol and Our
Wedding.
Many
of our singers have called upon him over the years for professional
portfolio shots, weddings, and even band promotions.
Biny
makes karaoke a family affair. He is regularly accompanied by
his delightful daughters Beth (aka Boo), Rachael (aka Roo) and
girlfriend (well, woman really) Wendy.
a Pal and a friend! Warm
& loving, generous and fun...
...We are proud to call Mike Pal of the Month
for November 2004
When
Liam lept off the Barrymore's
stage, over
the heads of the many people grooving and dancing and enjoying
his performance.. we were both shocked & delighted. In short,
he blew our minds.
Quiet reserved Liam just exploded all over the stage putting on
a show for all to remember and proving he's got the stuff stars
are made of.
We
first met Liam at the Lonestar. He was the outgoing, friendly,
fun server, we were the entertainment. When we left, Liam was
our lovely parting gift. He began coming out to our other venues
and is now an integral part of most of our shows.
This month, Liam is shooting an audition tape at Swizzles for
Nashville Idol.
We wish him the very best.
We
are proud to name Liam "Pal of the Month" for December
2004
Andrew Galligan
(aka puppy)
Despite
working for another respected karaoke company for many years,
Andrew has been a wonderful friend and supporter of our shows.
He has earned 17 paws (having been to 17 different venues).
Andrew
is a talented singer and actor. He's kept us entertained over
the years. We even got to see him naked as Berger in the hit play
HAIR. ;)
We
couldn't be more happy for him than when he found the light of
his life, the lovely and alluring Cait (aka Glam Kitty). and...in
truth, we couldn't be happier for Cait either!
Andrew,
a Pal and a friend...charming
and fun... We are proud to name Andrew "Pal of the Month"
for January 2005
...and would ya just look at how cute he is...makes me wanna pinch
his cheeks!
Pierre
Perrier (aka
Petey)
Pete
is one of the sweetest people we've ever met. Gentle and sweet
with a powerhouse of a voice that'll blow your socks off!
Congratulations
to Pete and Sue on their recently acquired new house.
Thank
you for your friendship Pete!
Pete,
a Pal and a friend...gracious and charming... We are proud to name Pete "Pal of the Month"
for February 2005
Monique L'Heureux (aka
Miss Kitty)
Monique
is probably best known as "Miss Kitty", one of the hardest
working hosts in show business, but she is also a dear friend
& a bonified D&P pal having earned many paws.
Thank
you Moe, for your committment, dedication and friendship!
We
are proud to name Moe "Pal of the Month" for March 2005
Stephane Richard
(aka Llama aka dude)
Steph,
a.k.a "dude" is our lil' Llama on our message forum
coz he's cute,
fuzzy & ....spits?
Rain,
snow, sleet & hail..over the hills and far far away... our
dude has travelled to the furthest reaches of this fair city and
to lands previously unknown to earn his paws. Whatta Pal!
We
are proud to spotlight Steph as our Pal of The Month ~ June 2005
Neal
Bouffard (aka
Wildcat)
Neal
has been our eyes, ears, arms & heart on more than one occassion.
We
first met Neal when he was regular singer at one of our venues.
He quickly became a multi-pawed pal, then host, then General Manager
as well as a dear friend. In fact, Neal was trusted with our business
while we went gallivanting about the UK on our honeymoon. I don't
think we can ever truly repay him for his care or his stress levels
(especially given that he was holding down a full time job and
attending University at the time).
Neal
took some time off after our return to go on a little vacation with
his best friend Roxy. Upon their return they announced they were
finally a couple.
Neal & Roxy have been very busy buying a house, painting, moving,
settling, working and schooling. With exams out of the way, Neal
is freed up once again to join us more often on the singin' circuit.
We
are proud to name Neal "Pal of the Month" for May
2005
Terry
(aka Coyote)
How
could you not love this face. Terry is funny (but looks aren't
everything). He's also warm and kind and very devoted to friends
and family.
Terry
is not only a valued friend, he's also a D&P host (how could
he not be? He's a natural, afterall, he does look just like Lorne
the demon karaoke host from Buffy).
<-- Mouse over this pic to make Terry say"blah blah blah
blah blah..."
Oh
yes, Terry is sooo much fun to tease and such a good sport. Aw...muffin!!!
Even when the "sno-belly" posse struck (yet again).
Given that Terry is such a good sport, it's only fair that a way-cuter-than-the-sno-belly-posse
should attack in mid song.
Thanks Terry, for your friendship, support, dedication and teamwork.
We
are proud to name Terry "Pal of the Month" for June
2005
Ian
McLeod
Almost
4 years ago, a sweet young man sang and sang and sang with us
one night before Christmas. Suddenly, he had to run to catch his
bus back to Montreal? Toronto? Not that it matters really. He
missed that bus and the rest is history. Ian has been a good friend
and good Pal ever since.
The
many
faces
of Ian
We
are proud to name Ian "Pal of the Month" for July
2005
Larry
J
A
talented singer, an awesome performer, a supportive friend,
a loving father & partner...
Larry is one of the most beloved Pals. How can you not love
a man a sweet and loving and fun as Larry?
We
are proud to name Larry "Pal of the Month" for August
2005
Richie We
are proud to spotlight Richie as our
Pal of The Month ~ September 2005
BANANA!
Cheryl (Crow)
We are proud to spotlight Cheryl as our
Pal of The Month ~ October 2005
Cheryl
brings her shining spirit, beautiful smile and warmth
where ever she goes.
Never one to grandstand, Cheryl is always happy
to share the spotlight with friends and family.
Mother,
sister, daughter, friend, Cheryl is many things
to many people but she is always herself.
Family
is intensly important to Cheryl. She is always happy
to share music & laughter with her brother,
sister and children.
We
are proud to name Cheryl "Pal of the Month"
for October 2005
Cris (Stray)
We are proud to spotlight Cris as our
Pal of The Month ~ November 2005
Cris
is one of the "kittens". The Stray one to be exact.
Though she never strays far from a d&p show ;)
Always
ready to lend a hand as a "doo wop chick"
Cris
is a talented singer and a gifted writer.
Here's
a short story she shared with us:
She had been staring at the wall in front of her for a
long time, gazing lifelessly at the patterns that emerged
from the deep wallpaper. Even the bodies and shadows that
passed before her could not avert her gaze. The hardwood
was cold beneath her legs, and the inert body lay still
and heavy on her lap. Her left arm cradled his head, the
unseeing eyes still open. Her right hand shook, and was
held in the air as if poised to go to her mouth. Between
her trembling fingers she held a cigarette. It was now a
pillar of ashes and the embers had burned her lithe fingers.
She took no notice of this until the police officer plucked
the smoldering stem from her blistering hand. [click
to read entire story]
Shanon & Barb
(Sheep Dog & Sheep)
Pals of The Month ~ December 2005
Ardent
lovers of karaoke, good friends & great sports, Shanon
& Barb are always up for a challenge. They'll try anything
once!
...getting
the family involved.
We
are proud to name Shanon & Barb "Pals of the Month"
for December 2005
PAL
Of The Month: Jan 2006
Adam
(aka Vic Viscount aka Gecko)
Pal of The Month ~ January 2006
We're
very proud to name Adam Pal of the Month.
A natural ham (kosher of course) Adam's always ready to
entertain.
Adam
has helped us to support numerous charities and causes over
the years. Just this past year, Adam raised over $700 for
Cancer Research at Pump Idol and donated numerous toys to
the "In The Spirit of Christmas" campaign.
Thank You Adam!
We
are proud to name Adam of "Pal of the Month"
for January 2006
PAL
Of The Month: Feb 2006
Kathleen
(aka Cheetah)
Pal of The Month ~
February
2006 ~
Kathleen;
poet, singer, teacher, friend..
Kathleen
is made of patience...not only is she is married to the
irrepressible Coyote but she is dedicated to her chosen
profession, teaching. During the school year she's not able
to come out to play as often as she would like. But when
she does she more than makes up for it!
We
are proud to name Kathleen "Pal of the Month"
for February 2006
PAL
Of The Month: March 2006
Rasta
Pal of The Month ~
March
2006 ~
Time
is a funny thing..not a funny as Rasta maybe...but a funny
thing nonetheless.
Rasta was with us in Ottawa for what feels like an incredibly
short time and yet he managed to earn 15 paws during his
stay before being shipped back to Halifax.
Rasta is equal parts cheerleader, entertainer and fool :)
Of
course we couldn't honor him when he was here with us as
that would have made his head swell...then his hat's wouldn't
fit anymore.
psst...his
real name is Tom ;)
We
are proud to name Rasta"Pal of the Month"
for March 2006
Trisha
Pal of The Month ~
April
2006 ~
Tabby
Tabby
Tabby
Hey!
She's
just so darned cute we thought we'd let her pics do ALL
the talkin'.
Cait
(Glam Kitten)
Pal of The Month ~
May
2006 ~
Herrrrrrrrrrre
KittyKittyKitty!
awwww
purrrfect!
We
are proud to name Cait "Pal of the Month"
for May 2006
Robyn
(rabbit)
Pal of The Month ~
June
2006 ~
Robyn is 1 part dusty owl, 1 part rabbit
and 1 part cougar bait (pretty balanced if you ask us).
When Pals collide...
It was "Dog Day" 2005 when Robyn the rabbit and
Scotty the cougar connected..
...they've been inseprable since.
...and soon,
...very soon,
will be wed!
We
are proud to name Robyn "Pal of the Month"
for June 2006
Chris
Labelle
Pal of The Month ~
July
2006 ~
This
is the summer for Chris having made
Canadian Idol's Top 18 "Vote Like Hell for Chris Labelle"
We
are proud to name Chris "Pal of the Month"
for July 2006
Susan
Lorden
Pal of The Month ~
August
2006 ~
Susan's
love for dogs and ponies makes her a perfect match for this
stable. Okay, actually, it's her love of music and good
people that makes her a perfect match but I like to think
dogs and ponies have something to do with it.
This is Susan's dog Syra sitting on Sneakers the pony.
Susan's
always ready to lend a hand whether designated driver or
d&p volunteer.
Thank you susan for all your support over the years.
We
are proud to name Susan "Pal of the Month"
for August 2006
KatieKachiPetroSoap
Richardson
Jellyfish
Pal of The Month ~
September
2006 ~
Katie,
our jellyfish is aptly named; ethereal and graceful, seemingly
delicate and intangible yet equipped with formidable defenses.
With
the mind of a philosopher, heart of an explorer, thirst
for knowledge and understanding of culture, society and
humanity as that of a sociological anthropologist, the
quest for truth as a theologian, and the spirit of an
artist she would have been equally welcomed at the hearth
of Henry David Thoreau or 60's cultural icon Richard Brautigan. Often accused of "
living more in your head than you do in the world",
I
think perhaps she may actually live more in this world
than the rest of us do.
or...as Katie has happily observed..."... fascination
comes from those who aren't me (heyyyyy LET'S call them
EVERYONE) "
"there's
a lot to wonder about.
whywhywhy.
I like asking questions that cannot have a quick answer.
I like asking questions that cannot be answered. I like
to wonder. I'd rather wonder than know. I wonder if that's
how other agnostic-ish people think..."
"
I like how anything can be used as a metaphor.
take, for example, this rusted paperclip.
though rusted, it's still as useful as ever. "
"I
have relatives in germany unless they're dead now
(I don't know).
it must be so cool.
(to be german, not dead.)
german's are so very intense.
I wish I was intense."
"...everyone's a puppet
various strings holding us up
friends, family, work
stress
is when every string is pulling you so tightly that you
can't move
and yet without even one of those strings, you're at a
disadvantage
so
does becoming a 'real boy' mean your family is dead, you
have no friends and you're on welfare? or does it mean
you're able to be as independent as anyone could be...
no.
there's a reason there's magic in fairy tales. "
"...I am not to you who I am to someone else and I'm
sure I never will be."
"...maybe
the reason 'real boys' can cry and puppets can't is that
the puppets don't need to..."
"I
once read an article in a local gay magazine
that transvestite queens were being ostrasized because
traditionally, drag queens were supposed to be men!
it's
like a right-wing society within a left-wing community.
"
"..there's a lot more to being open-minded than giving
yourself the label.."
...a prolific writer with a fresh perspective on the
everyday. Catch more of the wonderful world of jelly on
her lj: http://petrosoap.livejournal.com
or visit her website: http://kurage-chan.net
We
are proud to name Katie"Pal of the Month"
for September 2006
Steve
Muss
Pal of The Month ~
October
2006 ~
Possibly
the very 1st Dog & Pony Pal,
definately the 1st DOG & PONY host.
Steve
is one of the sweetest and most talented people we know;
a sensitive artist (songwriter, performer) talented audio
technician and passionate singer.
Steve
has much to share including his state-of-the art recording
studio Muss Music Productions.
Steve
is a gifted
singer / songwriter who performs his poignant songs with
a deep passion and pain that will draw you in.
Lovely and talented Jenn is a studying music at Carleton
University. She is flirty and fun and a delightful addition
to the stables.
Jason
Cavanaugh
(aka
Warthog)
Pal of The Month ~
December
2006 ~
quirky
and funny, offbeat and slightly warped, Jason is a delightful
addition to the stables.
He comes from a long line of quirky, offbeat and fun people
too!
Aunt
"Cheetah", Uncle "Coyote" and sis "Tabby"
Mom
"Parrot, Aunt "Cheetah", Uncle "Coyote",
Warthog and Tabby.
Coco
Richardson
(aka
Puffin)
Pal of The Month ~
January
2007~
Happy Birthday Coco - January 7
Coco will be celebrating her birthday at O'Brien's on
Saturday the 6th.
Coco
is a 15 paw pal, having been to 15 different D&P venues
over the years.
Lexx
White
(aka
Pitbull)
Pal of The Month ~
February
2007~
The
man of 1000 faces
We
can't remember a day when Lexx was NOT a pal.
Ky
(aka
Kalico)
Pal of The Month ~
March
2007~
Naughty
Lil'
Kittens!
Bruce
(aka
Bear)
Pal of The Month ~
APRIL
2007~
Bruce
is a loveable gentle bear of a man, warm, funny and sweet.
He has been coming out, having fun and playing nice for
as long as we've know him (and we're damn proud to know
him) :)
Geordie
(aka
geordiepants)
Pal of The Month ~
MAY
2007~
Many faces of Geordie
Speaking
of "a while back", Geordie is one of our longest
"pals" going back to the earlier days of Bottom's
Up and Polo.
.
He doesn't seem to age. I'm pretty sure it's that pact
he made a while back. ;)
Geordie
is truly a pal
& a friend.
We
are proud to name Geordie "Pal of the Month"
for May
2007
Laura
(Mink)
& Rick
(prairie
dog)
Pals of The Month ~
JUNE
2007~
.
We
are proud to name Laura & Rick "Pals of the Month"
for June
2007
Scotty
Porter (cougar)
Pal of The Month ~
October
2007~
Ya
know how you sometimes take family for granted...
well...
Scotty is long
overdue as
pal-of-the-month
Dashing
and dark, with a sleak cougar-like body (hence the name),
Scotty is easily recognized in a crowd.
Now there's a man who loves to sing!
We are proud to name Scotty "Pal of the Month"
for October
2007
Ronda
(rockin'
ronda)
Pal of The Month ~
February
2008~
Ronda
is one of the most delightful people we have ever come
to know.
Charming,
sweet and always upbeat!
We are proud to name Ronda "Pal of the Month"
for February
2008
Grant
(eagle)
Pal of The Month
~
March
2008~
Grant
has long been the keeper of memories for us, for his friends,
for himself.
He's devoted much of his time to charity and acts of thoughtful
kindnessess.
So
it should come as no surprise that Grant has put his heart
and soul into his own business dedicated to remembering
and celebrating loved ones.
Grant's
new store,
"The Party Man" openned
just this past winter at
Bank at Hunt Club.
It is the place to pick up that special something for that
special someone.
Everything
you need to celebrate: balloons, party decorations, cards
...and if you're looking for naughty novelies, all ya
gotta do is ask!
We are proud to name Grant "Pal of the Month"
for March
2008
Martin
(housemartin)
Pal of The Month
~
April
2008~
Martin
has
been a D&P pal for several years. He's best known
as our housemartin due to his beautiful voice.
Although
Martin is a little camera shy, we're really really glad
he's not mic shy too as his voice can bring a grown man
to tears.
We are proud to name Martin "Pal of the Month"
for April
2008
Christa
(silver)
Pal of The Month
~
June
2008~
'sing,
dance, flirt, play' is not just a tag line anymore. With
Christa it's a way of life. She's been pawed 10 times
(that we know of). ;)