It鈥檚 a relatively quiet mid-afternoon along Victoria鈥檚 downtown Government Street, as buskers Dave Harris, known affectionately as the One Man Band; and Peter Janz, aka Johnny Bomblast, perform in front of Munro鈥檚 Books.

Roommates as well as musical partners, the pair have, like all entertainers, endured a tough musical year turned upside down by COVID-19 restrictions.

But they are back on the street making some money, brightening locals鈥� days and walking on air with the release of Clouds, an album of songs written, performed and arranged by Janz and Harris.

鈥淧eople are starved for entertainment. There鈥檚 not a lot of options right now if you want live music, and we鈥檙e one of the options,鈥� Harris said.

The album features songs about Victoria and life in the pandemic, from Love in the Time of Corona, Sick Feeling and Pink Blossoms, to nods to Janz鈥� roots such as Prairie Soil.

Janz, who had a handful of songs on the go and co-wrote other new ones with Harris, said people familiar with their busking material may be 鈥減leasantly surprised鈥� with the end result of the album.

鈥淚 think people 鈥� if they鈥檝e watched us busk, the album will give them a bit more of that, 鈥極h, so this is what they can do if they could do it all,鈥欌�� Janz said.

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A six-week project recorded and engineered at their home, Clouds is a product of Janz and Harris鈥� efforts to stay musically active at a time when busking and other performance opportunities were limited.

Last spring, when public health concerns shut down most forms of live entertainment, you didn鈥檛 see buskers in the usual spots. As the new normal set in and safety measures were installed 鈥� minus the tourists 鈥� the environment changed, Harris said.

By June the duo was playing at such unlikely places as the Johnson Street bridge, not lucrative, but at least there were people out. They reinvented their performance routine doing a socially distanced show in Macdonald Park last summer.

Janz鈥� day job at a downtown shelter helped maintain structure in his life, 鈥渂ut musicians still have to make music,鈥� he said.

鈥淚n the early days when we were kind of locked down, we started a once-a-week Facebook live show where I鈥檇 quiz Dave on music stuff. We called them Isolation Interviews and we kept up that way and this album came out of it as well.鈥�

The installation of patios along Government Street last year increased the traffic flow and enhanced the feel of this downtown corridor. Locals who avoid the Inner Harbour were experiencing the duo鈥檚 live performances and connecting with them.

鈥淚 actually loved the season, it was so much fun playing for local Victorians, I really liked seeing the same faces,鈥� Janz said.

The album officially drops April 10, but can be purchased digitally . The pair have set up to take pre-orders for CD or vinyl copies, but you can also stop by their regular spot most days on Government Street.

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