Tonight we kick off our Winter Tour with a show at the legendary Townehouse in Sudbury, ON. Then we make our way west out to the Kootenays and the Okanagan before we turn the van eastward again. We apologize if we won’t make it to your town this time; we’ll see you on the dancefloor in 2009.
On Friday November 7, we join in the launch of the City of Toronto’s Smart Commute initiative – a campaign to encourage downtown Toronto commuters to move toward more sustainable forms of transportation: walking, cycling, public transit, carpools etc. Join us for a free, bicycle powered concert at Nathan Phillips Square at 11:30 am. Mayor David Miller will be making an appearance at noon and, since he is an avid cyclist, we’ll do our best to get him up on a bike to help power our SoundCycle PA system. Hope to see you there. Bring your bike!
November 4 2008 was a great day for the world, for the environment, for visible and invisible minorities, for the oppressed and marginalized, for our unborn children and grandchildren. I feel compelled to write this because, for the first time in my life, a politician has managed to inspire and move me the way great art does.
Barack Obama appealed to our longing for a more just and sustainable society. And I believe that his appeal is sincere – otherwise I would not be so moved by his oratory. But – no matter how good his intentions – (more…)
On Friday October 31, it’s time for one of our favourite shows of the year: our annual Halloween costume party at Lula Lounge in Toronto.
As usual, there will be prizes for best costume. Last year, we settled the first prize deliberations by having an onstage dance-off between Jesus and The Devil (Jesus won after busting out some unconventional moves; some claim it was because he wasn’t wearing underwear). Don’t miss this year’s party which features some amazing special guests (including Ghanaian master drummer Francis Kofi Akotuah) at the best-sounding club in the city.
1585 Dundas West (between Dufferin and Lansdowne). 10pm.
In today’s issue of The McGill Tribune you’ll find the latest media coverage of Larry’s frustrating experience with Immigration Canada. The Canada Council for the Arts awarded Larry a grant to bring Ghanaian master drummer Francis Kofi Akouah to Canada for a series of performances and workshops, including various engagements in schools and universities. Unfortunately, immigration officials have been making life difficult for Larry and Francis through a series of highly questionable and contradictory decisions. If Francis is denied entry this would lead to an absurd situation where the grant ends up costing Larry a couple of thousand dollars. Keep your fingers crossed.
Dear friends,
Hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. I have a lot to be grateful for these days – here’s one thing: Thanks to everyone who helped us make Canada’s first bicycle-powered concert a reality (scroll down to see who made it happen). Also, it’s a tough go to make a living as an independent artist so, on behalf of the band, I want to thank you for all your support. Some of you have been there for us from the very beginning and – five years later – you are still coming out to our shows! We couldn’t do what we love without you.
Which is more than I can say for Stephen Harper. His inexplicable disdain for artists seems like something of a psychoanalyst’s dream. Perhaps he has unfulfilled creative urges. Perhaps we’d all be better off had he been encouraged to pursue his secret dream of becoming a country crooner. On second thought, perhaps not. If you haven’t already read it, check out Margaret Atwood’s eloquent and entertaining response to Harper’s attack on artists here
In this newsletter you’ll find news of upcoming shows, including our annual Halloween costume party extravaganza, along with other band-related events and a success story. Yes, a story that defies (more…)
Our drummer Larry received a $3000 grant from The Canada Council for the Arts to bring Ghanaian master drummer Francis Kofi Akotuah to Canada for a month of performances and workshops in schools and universities in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Francis is also scheduled to be the featured guest artist at our Halloween show at Lula Lounge in Toronto. In spite of being married with two small children, Francis has been denied entry as Canadian immigration officials concluded he was at risk to stay here, claiming that he didn’t have strong enough ties to Ghana. You can read more about this frustrating situation in today’s Toronto Star.
Photo: Miles Storey/Torontoist
We thought it would be appropriate to organize Canada’s first bicycle powered dance parties in conjunction with International Car Free Day. On this day, the wonderfully creative folks from grassroots organization Streets Are For People encourage their fellow Torontonians to take over a parking spot (at $2/hour) and throw a “Parking Meter Party”. So we set up our pedal powered sound system right on Queen Street in Toronto on September 21, and hopefully it gave people some ideas about what Toronto could become if the city finally came to its senses and created a pedestrian zone. Here is some video coverage of the day by NOW Magazine’s ‘Ecoholic’ columnist Adria Vasil.
Photo: HiMY SYeD / photopia
Do you like cycling? Do you like music? Want to make history? Come power Canada’s first Pedal-Powered Dance Party! Join us as we celebrate International Car Free Day by presenting Canada’s first pedal-powered dance party at the Evergreen Brick Works in the Don Valley on Saturday, September 20. Bring your dancing shoes and your bike, come pedal away to power the sound system for a song or two. Then get your friends to do the same so that you can bust a move.
“Serious” cyclists interested in doing 20 minutes or more of non-stop sustained cycling are most welcome but might want to register in advance by contacting Johan Hultqvist at itsjohan[at]gmail.com / 416-533-8663 ext1
(more…)
