Manitoba will have a strong presence at one of Canada’s biggest music industry festivals this month. Eleven Manitoba acts are making the trip to Toronto to showcase for industry, media, and fans at Canadian Music Week (CMW), which runs March 21-25 and features 500 showcasing bands over five nights at 45 live music venues.
Showcasing acts include acclaimed rock poet John K. Samson, pop/rock outfits Royal Canoe, Mise En Scene, Federal Lights, Take Me To The Pilot, and Floor Thirteen, roots rocker James Cohen, metal band Waster, hip hop acts The Lytics and Abstract Artform, and acoustic pop singer/songwriter JP Hoe.
The Manitoba music community rocked the house for charity this month. Over 140 curlers joined event organizers Manitoba Music and Manitoba Film & Music at the 2012 Manitoba Music Rocks Charity Curling Bonspiel at the Granite Curling Club on February 12. The second annual event, which sold out quickly, united the province's vibrant music community to raise funds and awareness for the Unison Benevolent Fund.
Building on the success of the inaugural event, which took place January 2011 and welcomed 100 curlers, this year’s bonspiel doubled last year’s donation, raising $4,000 for the Unison Benevolent Fund and landing media and national industry attention in the process.
The Unison Benevolent Fund is an assistance and referral program – created and administered by the music industry, for the music industry. A registered charity established in 2010, the Unison Benevolent Fund is designed to provide discreet relief to music industry personnel in times of personal hardship and crisis. Find out more about the Unison Benevolent Fund at unisonfund.ca.
Registration may have filled up fast for the Manitoba Music Rocks Charity Curling Bonspiel, but there are still lots of opportunities to get involved and enjoy the festivities. The second annual bonspiel, which is organized by Manitoba Music and Manitoba Film & Music, unites the vibrant local music community to raise funds and awareness for the Unison Benevolent Fund, a new assistance and referral program designed to provide discreet relief to music industry personnel in times of personal hardship and crisis.
The Lo Pub will be warming up curlers and music fans alike at a special kick-off party on February 11, featuring performances by local indie pop/rock outfits Haunter, A Waste Odyssey, and Modern Romantics, as well as a late night set by DJ Hunnicutt. Showtime is 9:30pm and all proceeds from the event’s $7 cover will be donated to the Unison Benevolent Fund.
