'It's on wheels': Alan Doyle's concert for Fort McMurray draws great big crowds

It may have been a weekday evening, but three separate venues in downtown St. John's were jam-packed with people looking to catch a show — for a good cause.

From East to West, with Love was a 30-act fundraising event to help collect donations for the Canadian Red Cross to help people recover from the Fort McMurray wildfire.

Shows started at 4 p.m. at The Factory, O'Reilly's and Erin's Pub, and 30 musical guests will take the stage at each one throughout the night - straight through until 3 a.m.

But even as early as suppertime, organizer Alan Doyle said it was an amazing turnout.

"It's on wheels here already. It's a Thursday on a workday, and it's on wheels," said Doyle. "I think the whole city has given itself over to the night."

Doyle is hopeful the event will raise big money for the Red Cross to help people in Alberta, and the city he said Newfoundlanders and Labradorians feel so closely connected with.

"It's closer than most, isn't it? We have so many friends that live there, and we have so many friends of friends that have been commuting back and forth," he said.

"Maybe somewhere in our hearts we kind of feel like we owe a debt of gratitude to that city because the economy has come back and forth between us. Maybe we're in part responsible for that city, and responsible for the building of it, so when it gets hurt … it hurts us."

Doyle recruited some big musical names, from Fergus O'Byrne to Tim Baker, of Hey Rosetta!; from Shanneygannock's Chris Andrews to Nova Scotia's Matt Mays.

Lending a helping hand

To end off their set at O'Reilly's, Doyle, Baker and Mays were joined by O'Byrne for a rendition of Ron Hynes' Sonny's Dream — a clear crowd favourite.

Mays flew in from Halifax to take part in the fundraiser, an event he said was something not everyone could pull off in so little time.

"I think Alan Doyle's probably one of the only guys who could [pull this event] together so quick because everybody loves him so much," he said. "He's such a well-respected person, so I wasn't really surprised to see how many people are on the bill."

"When he summons the court to get together, the congregation, we all come to help."

After watching via social media as friends lost their homes in Fort McMurray, Mays said he was just happy to help out.

"To be a part of helping — in any way we can — just to bring them back to some sort of semblance of their normal life again is important, and it's nice to be sort of a part of that cause."

Show information

For the night owls, the music continues until 3 a.m. The full show information is below.

The show starts at 4 p.m. at The Factory on Water Street with Eddi King; 5:30 p.m. at Erin's Pub on Water Street with Alan Doyle; and 5:15 p.m. at O'Reilly's on George Street with Fergus O'Byrne.

But if you can't make it down to the show tonight, you can always follow along in our live blog below. [Can't see it on mobile? Click here]

From 4 p.m. until 3:30 a.m., acts will be playing at The Factory on Water Street; From 5:30 p.m. until after midnight at Erin's Pub on Water Street; and from 5:15 p.m. until after midnight at O'Reilly's on George Street.