The rain held off and the talent shone brighter than the sun for the Greater Forest Lawn Area Community Fair, Saturday, June 8th. The outdoor event featured a health and wellness resource fair, activities and food but the highlight for most who attended was the primarily youth-produced entertainment.
Performers from the Sudanese Calgarian Youth Association for Change got the crowd warmed up with their singing and dancing and a couple of solo flute songs. Frequently accompanied by Ish on congas, the music was almost as infectious as the smiles of the performers. Most memorable, was 10 year old Amna, on the mic, rapping about change and peace. With charisma reminiscent of a younger and less sassy Willow Smith, she was a natural in eliciting crowd participation. Later in an interview, Amna revealed that she chose the song because she is inspired by the message of it and the original singer, Emmanuel Jal. Jal is a former child soldier who is now an advocate for peace with his music.
Next up, was the recently formed band, “At the Corner”, made up of four youth between the ages of 12 and 14. The band came together at Cornerstone Youth Centre through the Youth Matters program of Aspen. They were excited to make their debut public performance at the Fair. They started with Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” and attracted quite a crowd. Avery and Jay then showed their versatility as they switched places on guitar and drums for the next song, Green Day’s “Holiday”. This talented group is rounded out by Nyan on bass and Marcus on vocals. The sheer joy of making music together, along with the enthusiastic reception from the crowd is probably enough to encourage this fledgling group to continue on with their band but the experience of riding on Aspen’s “tour bus” is what will likely seal the deal.
Members of Calgary rock band, “Uncommon Figures” were up next. This band comprised of high school students have flourished in their year together, through the support of the New Black Centre For Music and Art. With two of their members unable to make it out for the Fair, the group decided to do an acoustic set with Jacques Forest on upright bass, Moksh Amin on guitar and Neilinder Saini singing. The trio performed their own song, “Singers of the Damned” and The Killers, “When We Were Young”. The short acoustic set definitely left the crowd wanting more and curious to check out the full, plugged-in version of the band. There is no doubt we can expect great things from them in the future as they make their way into the Calgary music scene.
The crowd on hand was then treated to two songs from local singer Bryan Roces. With his terrific renditions of “Cry Me a River” and “Haven’t Met You Yet”, it is no surprise that this 20 year old is in demand for weddings. He made his appearance at the Fair with the support of Antyx Community Arts program.
The next two groups, dancers from The Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens’ Association and the Midnight Taiko Kai japanese drum group wowed the crowd with their skills. Both groups showed a level of expertise and pride that was surely an inspiration to all the younger performers of the day.
A group of 8-16 year olds from GleeCalgary closed the entertainment portion of the Fair. Taking their cues from the popular television show “Glee”, they performed songs including, Madonna’s “Like a Prayer”, Katy Perry’s “Firework” and a great mash-up of Adele’s “Rumour Has it”/ “Someone Like You”. The group’s performance caught the attention of many and also had some wondering about their sharp-looking “IAACC” jackets. It turns out that IAACC stands for International Avenue Arts & Culture Centre. The organization behind it is in the process of raising funds for the construction of a performing arts centre in east Calgary which would become home to programs such as GleeCalgary. On a day that showcased the success of some of the current youth arts programs in Calgary, it is exciting to imagine the possibilities that such a centre could provide in the future.
