AIDS
awareness at GSLRF
"It
is very encouraging to see the enthusiastic participation by so
many Sri Lankan bands in this rock project," said Suman Jaya
Chatterjee, Head of Marketing, Levis Strauss India Pvt. Ltd., while
he was in Colombo during this Rock festival.
Great Sri Lanka
Rock Festival (GSLRF) was held at Viharamaha Devi Open air theatre
yeasterday ( February 8). 'Independent Square', 'Cool Fusion', 'Kreb's
Cycle'. 'Jacob's Ladder', 'Stigmata' and 'Wild Fire' along with
Indian rock band 'Orange Street' were in action at this festival.
"The quality
music is very good, now it becomes our job to make sure that the
music that these bands have created gets heard and that they connect
with audiences," said Mr. Amit Saigal, editor and publisher
of 'Rock Street Journal' (RSJ), the driving force behind the project
in both India and Sri Lanka.
The most out
outstanding event of yesterdays concert was the AIDS awareness programme
at the venue.
" The
proceedings of this whole project will be channelled to the AIDS
awareness and help project in Sri Lanka . We got the help of a NGO
and they had a stall at the concert ground. This is a very first
time in Sri Lanka that a rock concert is used as a medium to communicate
about AIDS' said Levis Lanka head Ravi Hirdaramani
The winning
Sri Lankan Band will be flown to India to perform at Levis Great
Indian Rock 2003 in New Delhi on February 22 and 23. One of the
performers from the festival in New Delhi is being given an opportunity,
courtesy Levis to play in the United States.
Orange Street,
the band selected in India by Levis last year, is excited about
their forthcoming trip to the US in July. "This is a great
thing that RSJ and Levis are doing," said Anirban Chakraborty,
lead singer of Orange Street. "So many opportunities have opened
up for us after we got selected as best band in GIR. We've been
getting a lot of gigs, international exposure, and above all, recognition
for our own music!"
Bombay Black,
the Mumbai-based group of musicians, was selected at the 2000-2001
GIR for a US foray and performed to great acclaim, the opening slot
at an Aerosmith concert in Los Angeles.
Sounds
of 2nd Generation
The 'Second
Generation', 'The band with a difference, will come alive at 'Manor
Club (formerly Rock Cafe) on Friday, February 14.
'Second Generation'
comprises Sajith Perera (lead and vocals), Nishantha Perera (keyboards
and vocals), Nimantha Kaluarachchi (keyboards and vocals), Gayan
Hettiarachchi (bass and vocals) and Heshan Silva on drums.
Leader Sajith
is the eldest son of Sunil Perera of Gypsies and Nishantha is the
son of the former Gypsy drummer Nihal Perera.
'Second Generation',
according to Sajith is quite old and they will be hoping to take
music as their career. 'We do oldies, rock, reggae, current, chart
hits as well as bailas'. We play according to audiences but our
foremost group is young ones.' Sajith said. They are at present
working on few original songs, which they hope to release soon.
Ernest & Combo at Galadari
'Ernest and Combo', the cool unplugged band led by pianist
Ernest Francis performs on 'Valentine's Day' at California Grill
at Galadari Hotel on February 14.
Ernest and Combo has a wide repertoire of music stretching from
Jazz to standards and Blues.
Saxophonist
Madanayake sails through on balads that were popular and are now
standards. The other member of the Combo is drummer Welagedara.
'Ernest and
Combo' is now in action at the California Grill on every Thursday
and Saturday during dinner.
Jet's
re-union Concert
By
Sanath Weerasuriya
Melbourne and Brisbane Down Under will reveberate to the
sounds of the sixties when the original Jetliners will come alive
on the bandstand.
Anton Gunawijaya,
Felix Fernando, Indra Raj and Harris Jurangpathy along with Ishan
Bahar, Sohan Peiris and Mignonne Fernando will be re-united again
after 39 years in Melbourne on February 15.
The second
leg of their 2003 re-union show will be held at Brisbane on February
23.
Their 1999
tour to Australia, which was their very first 'reunion', after 35
years was a massive success. They performed at two sellout venues
Melbourne and Sydney.
According to
Ishan Bahar, who left Colombo last week for these concerts, the
organizers selected Melbourne mainly because it is the main city,
home for thousands of Sri Lankans.
'But we this
year decided to perform in Brisbane too' he said.
'But this year's
concert would be the very first one with Mignonne and it will be
the real re-union concert after nearly 39 years' he said.
Styling themselves
on the Shadows and Cliff Richards and growing up with Beatles, Stones,
Elvis and rock n'role, these guy are bound to bring back many memories
of the real Jet fans, now residing in Australia.
'Valentine Romance' at Le Garage
'Valentine Romance,' a special Valentine bash will be held
at the 'Le Garage' of the Le Kandyan Hotel on February 15, Saturday,
for the fifth consecutive year.
Yes FM DJ's will be in action at this special dance, where Hi-Tec
Sounds and Lighting will be provided by 'Master of Sounds'.
The "Longest
Kiss", 'Most Romantic Couple', 'Valentine King and Queen' are
some of the Special events lined up for the night.
Also Valentine
Ballet Dance will be performed by the Special Ballet Troupe at the
Garage.
Ladies will
get a Free rose and a glass of wine while the Romeos will be given
heart shaped chocolates and Valentine Cards.
Special candle-lit
Dinner will be on at the 'Rasawasala' restaurant for Rs. 1500/-
net. The Garage dance is priced as Rs. 500/- per Gent and Ladies
are free to enter.
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