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Albion Islington Square’s Signature Event Fusion Taste of Festival is Back!

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From an All-Day Fun Zone to live stage programming, Albion Islington Square BIA comes alive in July again with its signature event, 13th Annual Fusion of Taste Festival! It has been a niche multicultural festival in a diverse community since 2006 which caters to a wide range of people with its outdoor celebrations of culture and food. The festival itself is a showcase of ethnic dancing, performing artists and culinary offerings which range from Thai, Chinese to West Indian and South Asian.

This exciting street festival starts at 12:00pm with one of Toronto’s favourite bands, DNA project, performing the latest in Top 40 music. The fun continues with Toronto’s best percussion group, drumhand performing live at 2pm. The stage will be live all day with local and international performers including Caribbean band: N2, Canadian Bollywood singer, Parichay, UK Superstar Jaz
Dhami, and International Sensation: Dhira Gill. The festival also offers both fun and interactive activities for kids including: bouncy castles, art zone, stuffy riders, gaming rv, face painting, double’s eating competition, and free raffle draw prizes.

New to the festival this year is our first ever Emerging Star in Etobicoke. This project in partnership with the City of Toronto, Cultural Hotspot program, will showcase the finalists from our talent search at the upcoming festival. In addition, we will have two stages for audiences to enjoy more live entertainment.

The Fusion of Taste festival is brought to you by our proud sponsors and partners including: Province of Ontario, City of Toronto, Cultural Hotspot, Woodbine Toyota, Toronto Pearson Airport, Freedom Mobile, TD Canada Trust, & Zabiha Halal. Continue reading “Albion Islington Square’s Signature Event Fusion Taste of Festival is Back!”

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Mallika Sarabhai’s ‘The Colors of Her Heart’ – April 17, 2019 @ the Ailey Citigroup Theatre, NYC

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The Colors of Her Heart is a spell binding, dance-theatre-multimedia production, choreographed and directed by Mallika Sarabhai, that uses the haunting lyrics of British musician Samia Malik with the creativity visual imagery and story creating skills of Yadavan Chandran. On the stage, six women tell their poignant stories bringing awareness into the issue of gender inequality. 

What do all women across the world share as experiences? Whatever the color of their skins, whatever their language and culture, the single identity that leads to their exploitation and violence against them is their gender. With songs in Urdu and English, and stories that are both personal and universal, the heartful composition draws you into the world of women and their lives, dwelling on their experiences of vulnerability, love, pain, rejection, discrimination and violation. 

The ballet shifts between powerfully spoken monologues as accounts of the performers, group and solo dances, emotive pieces, even a ghazal that come together rhythmically with the bilingual live music by Samia Malik. The pieces reflect upon the common thread that binds all women, bringing together not just the stories of six women, but the pains, travails and victories of women of all nations. The Colors of Her Heart plays at The Ailey Citigroup Theatre on 405 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019. Continue reading “Mallika Sarabhai’s ‘The Colors of Her Heart’ – April 17, 2019 @ the Ailey Citigroup Theatre, NYC”

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Blues Legend Lucky Peterson launches Kitchener Blues Festival!

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–Lachman Balani

 The cavernous up tempo bar and nightclub Elements in Kitchener was the scene for the launch party of the Kitchener Blues Festival this past weekend.

The Kitchener Blues Festival is one of the few tightly run annual music festivals in Ontario announcing its line-up way ahead of its scheduled event in August.

This 4 day festival in Kitchener spread over 3 stages boasts of having hosted some amazing acts in recent times such as Eric Burdon, Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Foghat , Edgar Winter, Rik Emmett and many more! It is the go to event for blues and rock lovers in the neighbouring Greater Toronto Area.

Matt Weidinger opened the kickoff party setting the mood for the party-goers.

Following the opening band, Lucky Peterson from Buffalo and Kitchener homeboy Shawn Kellerman and his band sent the crowd into a dancing tizzy as both young and old folks got up to groove to the blues.

Shawn opened up with his band and Lucky joined in a couple of songs later and they all came together to play nonstop blues rock ramming one song into the next without missing a beat! It was incredible to see them play for a full hour with no break between songs! Continue reading “Blues Legend Lucky Peterson launches Kitchener Blues Festival!”

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महाशिवरात्रि के पावन अवसर पर सभी देशवासियों को बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं। ऊँ नम: शिवाय”

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The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, has extended his greetings on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.

“Maha Shivratri greetings to everyone.  महाशिवरात्रि के पावन अवसर पर सभी देशवासियों को बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं। ऊँ नम: शिवाय”, the Prime Minister said.

 Maha Shivratri, the last bathing festival, celebrated at Prayagraj Kumbh today

Maha Shivratri, the last bathing festival of Prayagraj Kumbh, was celebrated today with religious fervour and enthusiasm. Large number of devotees thronged the Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati braving cold and rains from mid night. Bathing was started very early morning.

Prayagraj Mela Authority had developed ghats at Sangam and other areas of the Mela for pilgrims. Mela Administration had estimated that about one crore devotees would take holy dip on the occasion. Special trains and buses were put into service to ferry the devotees. Elaborate security arrangements were in place in and around the Mela area. Entry of vehicles into Mela area was prohibited.

Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, Mr Amit Khare visited the Prayagraj Kumbh. He went to the camps of All India Radio and Doordarshan and exhibition of BOC set up at the Mela. Continue reading “महाशिवरात्रि के पावन अवसर पर सभी देशवासियों को बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं। ऊँ नम: शिवाय””

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Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada

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The Art Museum at the University of Toronto Presents Vision Exchange : Perspectives from India to Canada
February 2 – March 23, 2019

The Art Museum at the University of Toronto is pleased to present Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada from February 2 – March 23, 2019 at the University of Toronto Art Centre. Vision Exchange presents the work for 20 internationally recognized artists based in India and Canada.

Vision Exchange includes works by Ashim Ahluwalia, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Atul Dodiya, Gauri Gill, Tanya Goel, Shilpa Gupta, Sunil Gupta, Jitish Kallat, Reena Saini Kallat, Amar Kanwar, Bharti Kher, Divya Mehra, Akbar Padamsee, Jagdeep Raina, Raqs Media Collective, Dayanita Singh, Umrao Singh-Sher-Gil, Vivan Sundaram, Thukral + Tagra, and Rajesh Vangad.

Highlights include: the cartographer’s mistake by Sarindar Dhaliwal, where the artist renders a map of the Indian subcontinent using marigolds to indicate the lines of Partition. Dhaliwal’s use of marigolds to depict the borders and territories of her native land lends a curative gesture to the otherwise destructive consequences of this history; and Points of Departure by Bharti Kher, a framed series where the artist uses bindis, paper and maps, each of which date to around the time of Partition, 1947. Swirling with vibrancy, the historical implications of these documents are thrust into an engagement with present-day geographies, planetary migrations and border politics. Continue reading “Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada”

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“Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul.”

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Hosted by Tyler  Perry, the one-of-a-kind concert will feature exciting and moving performances of Aretha’s legendary hits; Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Celine Dion,  Patti LaBelle and artists  will pay tribute to Aretha Franklin in a 2019 concert to be televised by CBS on Jan 13th.

 The Recording Academy™, AEG Ehrlich Ventures, Clive Davis, and CBS will pay tribute to the legendary career of 18-time GRAMMY®winner and 2008 MusiCares® Person of the Year honoree Aretha Franklin by presenting “Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul.” Performing songs from her legendary repertoire are GRAMMY winners Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, Alessia Cara, Kelly Clarkson, Common, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and BeBe Winans as well as current GRAMMY nominees Brandi Carlile, Chloe X Halle, H.E.R., Janelle Monáe, and SZA. Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry will host the unforgettable night.

The live concert will tape Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019, at 6 p.m. PT at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The special will be broadcast later in 2019 on the CBS Television Network. Continue reading ““Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul.””

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desiFEST 2018 Showcases the best in Urban Desi Music

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desiFEST 2018 Bigger and Better Than Ever​​

The 12th annual desiFEST wowed crowds once again with 12 hours of entertainment, featuring more than 25 artists in the heart of Toronto at Yonge and Dundas Square.

This year’s festival featured Canadian and International artists including: Calgary born Punjabi singer, The Prophecy; one of India’s most popular rappers and Hip Hop stars, Divine; a special tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan by The Mad Band; Amar Sandhu and Pranna from Dallas, USA and fan favourites hailing from British Columbia, Anjali and
GPS. Thousands of attendees were also treated to a surprise performance by UK legend, Manj Musik.

“We had a dream line-up this year for our 12th annual festival,” says festival founder and CEO Satish Bala. “Giving artists a platform to share their music, their energy and message is what desiFEST is all about. Big Thanks to all the artists, fans and all sponsors including TD Telus and all our media friends, that made this year’s event so amazing.”

This year’s festival featured 3 days of artist meet and greet opportunities, industry events, receptions and more, across the GTA. Continue reading “desiFEST 2018 Showcases the best in Urban Desi Music”

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SOULFUL SINGERS’ PRAYER FOR PEACE

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Whenever Salim-Sulaiman, Bollywood’s top musicians, headline a concert in Toronto, their Indo Canadian fans come out in large numbers to immerse in their melodious and soulful performances. The scene was no different on March 17th when during their live concert the duo drew in thousands of music fans to the Powerade Centre in Brampton.

The band   opened with a glittering start, singing “Ishq Wala Love song from the movie Student of the Year “, against   colorful flickering lights and a wonderful backdrop. The team, which included  Indian Idol winner Vipul Mehta, Raj Pandit, Sukriti Kakkar rendered one hit after another for three straight hours, taking their fans into a frenzy. They brought back the old-world charm by rendering some of the evergreen hits and all-time favorites of Bollywood.

Sulaiman informed the packed house, “If we were to   sing all of our compositions, we would be here until tomorrow, so we will sing from our playlist…a love mashup.” So, the audiences were treated to plenty of songs, many devotional ones like Bismillah, Noor E Ilahiand Ali Maula.

A prayer for Syria was included as well, and songs from other genres as well. Enthused by the audiences’ reactions, they continued their tightly-spaced set, which included songs like “Marjawaan”, “Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai” from the Shah Rukh and Anushka Sharma film. Continue reading “SOULFUL SINGERS’ PRAYER FOR PEACE”