Category Archives: Music

Live Aid benefit concert for Venezuela to avert humanitarian crisis

Alesso, Danny Ocean, Diego Torres, José Luis Rodríguez “El Puma”, Luis Fonsi, Maluma, and Paulina Rubio are among a long line-up of artists invited to perform for Venezuela Aid Live, a concert organized by entrepreneur Richard Branson to raise funds for humanitarian aid to save a country he says is on the brink of starvation. The concert will be live-streamed around the world.

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Indonesia rock band swept off stage by tsunami

Likely the only surviving member of the Indonesian rock bank Seventeen, he covers his face with his hands, wipes the tears from his eyes and fidgets with his hair, trying to hold it together to speak into the camera about what happened on the night of December 22.

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‘World music’: a defunct label in a globalized world of sounds

The global music business is experiencing demonstrable growth for the first time since the 1990s, and according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) sales of music reached US$17.3 billion in 2017 an increase of 8.1% on 2016. But this increase in the global marketplace is not representative of certain areas of the world. In particular, popular music in Africa has benefited from shrewd independent artists and self-promotion, largely through global social media channels such as Mdundo, which covers East Africa and allows artists to upload their music themselves.

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Steelpan drum players gather for ultimate Pan Alive steelband music competition

In celebration of freedom and diversity, Lamport Stadium will be alive with the sound of steelpan music as steelbands compete in the Pan Alive Competition to decide Ontario’s Champion Steelband on Aug. 3, 2018. Artistic director Rhoma Spencer tells us about her role in the festival as well as a new event on the Friday night leading up to the Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade, also known as, Caribana [article, video].

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Yonge Mural painter gave up his career as a graphic artist to literally paint outside the box

“As I was painting, I really wanted a sense of their presence being here, so I would listen to their music, which is incredible music,” says artist Adrian Hayles, from the balcony of a nearby building overlooking the Yonge Mural. [article/video].

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Photos from Brendan Meadows’ IPSEITY exhibition

Consider yourself lucky. You get the chance to see images that were on show in Brendan Meadows’ exhibition IPSEITY at Liss Gallery in Toronto during the CONTACT Photography Festival. Take a look.

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Have you seen the Nigerian version of Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’?

This Is Nigeria is an inspired piece of work by a “brilliant and highly distinct” (Bahd) actor, musician and entertainer, who also happens to be as funny as the first guy. [article, video]

Falz The Bahd Guy's version of 'This is America'
Falz The Bahd Guy – ‘This is Nigeria’. Screenshot: C. Bird
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The taxing life of fame takes Swedish DJ Avicii at 28

He introduced a new sound that crossed dance music with southern roots country and had the world dancing to a new beat. Avicii was known the world over for his ability to bring people together. Today, we learned that the 28-year-old musician, producer and EDM DJ has died.

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