The Science and Experience of Meditation, Flute and Healing the Planet Feb. 17, 2018 in Oakville, Glen Abbey Community Centre-Always Free!

This week I met so many marvelous people in the Halton region, (Ontario, Canada) putting up posters on bulletin boards, focusing more on Oakville to spread awareness of another wonderful free public event for Realize Awareness in Nations to Heal Mother Earth. People shook my hand, their eyes began to sparkle, they asked in depth questions, and some of them spontaneously got their self-realization (they achieved the yoga state, nirvana, moksha) in looking at the poster with wonder and while we talked. One employee from a coffee shop had many questions, which were very introspective.

As I explained the yoga system that unlocks our central nervous system by awakening our own energy that enlightens our entire being, A.J. exclaimed he had goosebumps suddenly. So I told him, that is the life force, the energy we have been talking about, now you have felt it, and it is showing you what I am sharing with you resonates with truth. He said, I am totally going to the program, can I bring someone? Another lady from a pharmacy wearing a lovely elephant ring, was so glad, she stretched her arm out into the air and said, spread this, spread it everywhere! It was as if she was saying go forth!

But all over Oakville, from Dundas, to Glen Abbey, to Lakeshore to Kerr Village, youths and adults alike, shook my hand, hugged me, marvelled at the wonderful animals on the poster, and were filled with a desire to experience this Yoga connection. About the poster, they said, this is so cool, I get it, this is what I have been looking for, I get it! One girl said, I was just manifesting something like this, and here it is in my store. Thank you so much, I am bringing my mom!

It is a mini universe inside that connects us to the entire planet, living beings, the universe, and it can be felt like goosebumps, a cool river or breeze inside, or a wave. While explaining the poster and the system to a cashier, another lady looked over our shoulder and was asking, may I see the poster, can I come too? Can I bring someone? The energy was and is palpable once you get your self-realization, and they were responding with such genuine interest.

It felt like that moment in the movie Tomorrow Land (with George Clooney) where the new generation picks up a curious badge that transports them to a new reality, you can really feel the vibrations coursing through your veins. A new awareness is infiltrating our society, and there are so many who have been searching for it. I did not know what to call it before, it is a type of inner journey, or truth seeking. And Sahaja Yoga meditation quenches a thirst for self knowledge.

So come and experience the positive energy, feel the music of the flute flowing through your entire being, and find out the science and health benefits of meditation and experience it while sitting in a chair or on the floor, with no hard poses. Meditate to connect to Mother Earth, everything and everyone and feel it for yourself. We can heal the planet if we realize our powerful connection to it and all it’s living beings. May the force be with all of us!

Festival of Inner Lights, Burlington December 9th, 2017 from 2-4pm-FREE Admission

On Saturday December 9th, 2017 please join us at the Art Gallery of Burlington for the Festival of Inner Lights happening between 2-4pm. The Art Gallery is on Lakeshore rd., across from Spencer’s Restaurant and Spencer Smith Park, and the Shoreline room is near the front entrance facing the lake. A dynamic and heart warming event about Yoga Connection, igniting the spark we all have inside to bring back more joy and peace into our lives. This is a family friendly event which includes a guided meditation for Mother Earth we can all participate by sitting in a chair or on the floor in you prefer. Children love to meditate with us!

The word Sahaja in Sanskrit, a very ancient mother language, means “spontaneous” and “born within.” Through a simple guided meditation and just a few seconds of a method known as “thoughtless awareness,” the life force that lies dormant is awakened and can be verified scientifically by each person. The Yoga state can be achieved and felt as a cool river or cool breeze on the hands as it rises along the spine as well as the central nervous system (enlightening the nerves) like the sap that nourishes the tree of life we all have within. At this point we go from being collectively unconscious to collectively conscious human beings. We become aware of a new dimension to our lives. We get connected to the mains and a new reality enlightens our path.

Sahaja Yoga offers the actualization of attaining the Yoga state, also known as moksha, nirvana, enlightenment or simply connection. The poster is an unretouched photograph of pure energy that is awakened from within through Sahaja Yoga methods. Many people who have experienced getting what is known as their “self-realization” have experienced positive, transformational life journeys that will be shared.  The energy feels wonderful, no experience necessary, just come with an open heart and mind.

Expect Youth Ambassadors to inspire your family, listen to a magical flute, watch a creative dance performance, enjoy drums and music from around the globe that will wrap this season up in pure love for community, diversity, brother-sisterhood and positive energy. Please join us and spread the word about this Festival that celebrates our Inner Lights. Please visit and like our articles for more information at http://www.free-meditation.ca/archives/23047

 

 

Walk Off The Earth Kick Off in Burlington at Sound of Music Festival 2017, World Class Performances, Burlington Bred!

Walk Off The Earth, Burlington bred, delivered a World Class Performance at the Sound of Music Festival held in Burlington, Ontario which starts this week June 15th-18th, 2017 at Spencer Smith Park. They delivered an epic concert, they surprised us, they entertained us, their talented selves played a medley of more than seven songs with five members on one guitar!

Walk Off The Earth…Maybe…we are all in this together… Kicked Off Sound of Music 2017, photo by Paula Erskine catwalktorunway.wordpress.com

When Walk Off The Earth covered Gotye’s “Someone I used to Know” (from Australia), playing one guitar together, they had no idea that actor/musician Russell Crowe would tweet about it. This led to millions of hits on you tube and a television spot on Ellen in the U.S.A. The rest is history, but Walk Off The Earth backed it up with loads of talent. So although the show was incredible already, with multiple musicians switching from several instruments each, including kazoos, accordian, guitars, base, drums, electronics, keyboards, and more, Walk Off The Earth did not do what we expected them to do, which was to repeat the performance. They exceeded our expectations, playing one guitar, starting off with “Someone I used to Know” then parlaying that into, at least 7 more songs.

I had to stop counting, because it was so original, with an understanding of how a medley can connect songs (with a shout out to a Beatles cover), and the crowd went ballistic. It is without question, that the happiness that Walk Off The Earth can spread is absolutely, irrevocably, contagious. And their message, if I can be so bold, may be, that maybe, we are all in this, this earth, this world, together, so let’s play together, let’s sing together, let’s enjoy and spread that love for all of mankind right into the atmosphere. Deep down, we all know, we all have the power to change this world for the better.

But there were more surprises in store, Walk Off The Earth is…pregnant! That’s right, pregnant mega musician Sarah Blackwood, lead singer, filtrating harmonies and lit up the stage in collective fashion.

Gianni Luminati expressed his concerns when he described “ninjas” harassing others, so he better learn Tae Kwon Do to protect his family. In his white, baggy, jumpsuit, reminiscent of Beastie Boys days, he was ready to battle the negative forces on stage with dancing Tae Kwon Do-ists. His is a different kind of battle, the power of a great song! We heard Gianni sing, rap, harmonize, reggafy, funkafy, sing falsetto while flawlessly moving about stage from lead singer, to guitar, to drums, to kazoo. There is nothing Gianni doesn’t do on stage that doesn’t hit a chord in our heartstrings. You just know he is beautiful inside and out. Walk Off The Earth’s lyrics and choice of song, are otherworldly, they shoot for the moon, shine like the sun, and emit stars. The band also performed acapella.

Walk Off The Earth also invited famous beat boxer Terry to perform with them on stage and then prove solo, that he was a music machine https://www.facebook.com/KRNFX/. What Terry does with his voicebox is insane. The whole crowd went crazy, again.

The Sound of Music Kickoff Concerts on June 11 was one of the best performances I have ever see in my life. I hope this excerpt inspires you to support these musicians by buying their music and feeding your soul. You can find Walk Off The Earth at http://www.walkofftheearth.com/ Their new album is called Fire In My Soul. Let’s make this world a better place by supporting the arts and musicians. They have a story to tell that just may save the world as we know it by inspiring us to live in harmony on this, the planet we share. For more Sound of Music Free Concerts in Burlington 2017, check out the festival lineup happening this Father’s Day week June 15th-18th, 2017 right here: https://soundofmusic.ca/lineup/ And while you’re at it, you can support Canada’s largest Free Outdoor Festival too.

 

 

 

 

The Burlington Sound of Music Free Festival Sunday June 11th, June 15th- 18th, 2017 and the Restorative Power of Meditation: Bridging Science and Spirituality June 14th, 2017 are Free to the Public, Drop in Events that are good for your Heart and Soul

Burlington Pier, Ontario, Canada, captured musical notes, uncoincidentally, during the Sound of Music Festival-Photo by Paula Erskine

The Burlington Sound of Music Festival 2017 draws over 200,000 music fans from every corner of the globe including our neighbors to the south. It is Canada’s largest outdoor music festival, and never disappoints. There are many ways to enjoy the many bands that play along Brant street, the Burlington City Hall and three stages in Spencer Smith Park on Lakeshore Road overlooking lake Ontario. Many people liken Burlington’s Lake Ontario to a feeling of being near the ocean somehow. So just what is there to discover in Burlington beginning June 14th, 2017? Let’s begin with the hypothesis…

Destiny is in your hands, photo by Paula Erskine, Spain.

Of course, this connection is interwoven with the truth found in Canada’s original inhabitants, which were aware of its power as far back as 10,000 years or so. Before 150 years of Canada, there was a land of ancient, wise people who lived sustainably, respectfully, passing down stories and traditions and living with gratitude.

White Pine Dancers Family and Friends will perform at the Burlington Citizenship Ceremony at 1:45pm and Burlington Sound of Music Festival 2017

Sunday June 11th the White Pine Dancers perform as a group of First Nations Family and friends who share their gifts of story, dance and song at 1:45pm at the Sound of Music Festival 2017. Open your hearts and show your love for Canada’s aboriginal nations.

They have a story to tell, one that we can feel through our natural connection to mother earth. I had the privilege of capturing the images of the White Pine Dancers below from a Crawford Lake event.

facebook.com/whitepinedancers

Before White Pine Dancers, Valley http://www.officialvalley.com/ will perform at 1:00pm and Killin’ Time Band at 3:15pm, http://www.killintimeband.com/,  on Sunday June 11th, 2017.In fact, a great way to enjoy the music festival is to go the website, listen to the lineup at https://soundofmusic.ca/

The website offers music samples from the artists, not all of which I have heard of, but that never stops me from checking out their videos, doing a bit of research and going with bands that inspire me to be a fan and supporting Canadian artists.

Who can forget Burlington’s prides and joys, The Spoons, http://www.spoonsmusic.com/  from the 80’s hitting the stage at 4:30pm, and Walk Off The Earth at 7:30pm. Who of my generation doesn’t remember their songs on the radio? Go Burlington, Go!

Incidentally, Walk Off The Earth made humble passengers on a wintry flight of mine last year, so I was able to express my fanship through trolley offerings aisle-side. Their cover tune of Gotye “Somebody I used to know” seen here made headlines when actor and musician Russell Crowe tweeted about their video of the whole band playing one guitar right here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGIiYejABSQ which landed them a guest spot on TV show Ellen. Check out their cover of Adele and they have incredible original songs. Please support them and put Burlington on the map again and again! https://www.facebook.com/walkofftheearth.

Inbetween those Burlingtonians on Sunday June 11th is Tebey at 6:00pm and you can listen to him here, and rocks country with a great voice http://tebeymusic.com/jealous-of-the-sun-official/.

Stay tuned for some more great music and good vibrations as we explore Burlington Sound of Music 2017 and I formulate my playlist for this year. The only negative thing I can say is that, there are sometimes several great acts playing at the same time, so I do make a music plan and prioritize my free concert repertoire.

Here are some great moments I captured on film in recent years at the Burlington Sound of Music Festival..

Artwork in Burlington on Brant street…above…glorious birch trees…

Sean McCann formerly of Great Big Sea, performed last year at Burlington City Hall and was oozing talent and goodness. He is a champion of his own demons.

 

 

 

http://www.seanmccannsings.com/, photo Paula Erskine

The Sheepdogs played opening night and absolutely rocked it at the Sound of Music Festival 2014. One of the best of 100 free concerts held in Burlington, Ontario. Photo by Paula Erskine, http://www.thesheepdogs.com/

Jarvis Church soul singing at Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival 2014. Photographed by Alexis Lagos of http://www.lacedupimagery.com, http://jarvischurch.ca/

http://www.jullyblack.com/ (Photo credit: Paula Erskine)

The Burlington Pier 2013 Debut, photo by Paula Erskine

See you in Burlington, where we share borders with Hamilton via this bridge, Oakville, Milton and Halton proper. Let’s not forget our neighbors on the other side of the lake, in the good old U.S. of A. who are always welcome. And to all the tourists world-wide, plan your vacation around this Free Concert Extravaganza in Burlington. Stay tuned for more on this event this week 2017.

Winnipeg Festival & Pow Wow Sat. March 25th, 2017…Plus Free Meditation classes March 24th-28th 2017-Connect to Mother Earth

Don’t miss the First Annual Tribal Memories Festival and Pow Wow (only $5.00) and Free Sahaja Yoga Meditation Classes http://www.free-meditation.ca/archives/22225 ( that will help you to connect to Mother Earth, your spirit or higher self, everyone and everything…all happening in Winnipeg March, 2017, the Heart of Canada!

On Saturday March 25th, 2017, everyone, from everywhere is invited to the First Annual Tribal Memories Aboriginal Festival and Pow Wow at the Duckworth Centre, 400 Spence Street, at the University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The entrance fee is only $5.00 and you to get tickets you can call 204-615-7212, email pinefallsauction@gmail.com or at buy at the door, which opens at 5:00pm. The wonderful festival will start at 6:00pm and go to about 11:30 at night.

You can check out the Pow Wow official link with more event details and a chance to find out about more Pow Wows in your area.http://calendar.powwows.com/events/first-annual-tribal-memories-festival-pow-wow/

I had the pleasure of meeting Dakota, Marty and Cody who were inviting everyone passing through Portage Place in Winnipeg to their wonderful, powerful event. They were very warm and brotherly, and I am extending this invitation out to this Aboriginal festival, open to the public, it is a great opportunity to enjoy our oneness and connection with everyone and Mother Earth.

In addition, please join  Sahaja Yoga Winnipeg for Free Meditation Classes from March 24th to March 28th, 2017 to also connect to Mother Earth through a simple, guided meditation known as “thoughtless awareness”, with no hard poses, you can sit in a chair or on the floor, and feel the connection, joy and peace.

Achieving the yoga state is a great tool for students during exam pressures, relieving anxiety, emotional balance, harmony and better health. A great way to de-stress and connect to your higher self. All ages are welcome, and it is always free, in 100 countries, world-wide.

I encourage everyone to drop in! http://www.free-meditation.ca/archives/22225 for links to more classes and great articles celebrating oneness and respect for each other and this planet we share.

Sahaja Yoga also celebrated their R.A.I.N. (Realize Awareness in Nations) to Heal M. E. (Mother Earth) events in Ontario, Canada, with Aboriginal Prayers and many cultural traditions of many backgrounds that are rooted in the truth and essence of our beings. We salute the light in all of you, namaste, miigwetch, thank you.  http://www.free-meditation.ca/archives/20920

Chantal Kreviazuk: A Modern Day Poet and Musical Powerhouse Gives Flawless, Intimate Performance at London Music Hall and Subsequent Tours 2016-2017

London Music Hall in Ontario Canada is one of the best kept secrets in terms of venue. Chantal Kreviazuk delivered a flawless performance and a  rare appearance in close quarters for a mere $50! I was weary that it would be standing room only, but the concert had seating for several hundred in an intimate setting. Chantal’s voice and talent proved to be inspiringly deep, with an incredible range of notes melodiously filling each heart in attendance. Go to http://www.chantalkreviazuk.com/tour.html to attend her concert and purchase her album, which is incredible. You can still catch her in Niagara falls Nov. 19th at 7pm, Thursday Nov. 17th in Chatham, On, and Toronto on Dec. 1, 2016.

Chantal’s singer, song writer, piano playing, audience-connecting lyrics were moving. She’s not afraid to belt out a tune at seemingly any range, from whisper to scream. Her art is a refreshing reprieve from “top 40” radio churnings. Yet you will find her here and there, and realize she has always been on quality radio stations that respect her contribution to music on a global scale. She is disarming, humble, real, funny, and a bonafide rock star.

Hard Sail the title track of her new cd,  makes it impossible to choose a favourite track. Every song draws you in, and my friend and I scramble to read the lyrics that trail off unapologetically for dramatic effect. And then we are so in awe of each brilliant lyric set to piano genius. Kevin Fox accompanied and complemented her with his voice and, was it a cello and guitar? What a glorious combination of strings and keys weaving a musical tale.

In light of poet and lyricist Leonard Cohen’s departure from this world, Chantal treated the audience to his oft covered song, Hallelujah…with heavenly piano playing and singing with crystal clear vocal chords. With references to her children, her singer husband Raine Maida (www.rainemaida.net) of Our Lady Peace, and visiting Peru to help provide hearing aids, it was much like visiting her in her living room. It was only a few short summers ago that Chantal Kreviazuk played the Burlington Sound of Music Festival (soundofmusic.ca ) with Raine Maida much to the delight of both their fans. If music has a heaven, they would be in it.

The difference is, Chantal Kreviazuk seeks to elevate the room with her oozy talent. I don’t know about you all out there, but we were so appreciative of these fresh and truthful words set to music after months of campaign over-coverage of the U.S. Elections. A Canadian flag from the audience made its appearance as the performance went into two encores.

I hope you get a chance to snap up some tickets for Chantal Kreviazuk on her 2016 tour. She reminds me a lot of singer, songwriter, piano player http://www.facebook/marijoelmusic who I thoroughly enjoyed musically during her tour in Canada for Culture days http://www.free-meditation.ca/archives/19833. Their authentic style and indisputable talent seem to be swaying the vote, long closed, towards truth, inner-beauty, talent, peace and the bonding of the like-minded and like-hearted that see the value of coming together as global guardians. Leave it to the artists to raise awareness of what really matters in this lifetime through their modern day poetry as guiding forces through times that are…a changing. Hope such live music concerts inspire you to strum, play and write to define your self, express your self, and share your self.

Taking a moment to compose her self.

 

 

 

 

Up Close and Personal at Burlington Sound of Music’s Grand Finale 2016

The Mohrs singer channeled Janis Joplin and the whole band was incredible. See and hear them here, they will knock you out of the park! http://themohrsband.com/home. Jackie Mohr fronts the band and has music running through her veins. Coolest chic EVER.http://www.newcanadianmusic.ca/releases/p/perfectly-sane-single/the-mohrs/2014-03-26

Unlike the local newspaper, I am not focused on the numbers that attended the free music festival. 200,000 fans is not too shabby over the course of 5 days. If you ask anyone how successful it was, just ask its fans! The atmosphere was so positive, so groovy, like minded music fans saw the Sound of Music Festival as a chance to celebrate Canadian music, show our appreciation for artists trying to change the world, one guitar strum at a time. Yes there was a heat warning. Did we find shade? Yes marvelous shade under the cherry trees, under canopies, at the city hall there were plenty of shady spots too.

The best part was getting up close and personal with the artists. Sean McCann formerly of Great Big Sea took fan photos after his set, and I was not more than 10 feet in front of the stage, sitting comfortably, with no one blocking my view.

Many of the acts were easily accessible, and for a few minutes here and there, you could approach the stage, take your awesome close up photos, get shooed out for not having a press pass, claim innocence, back out towards the gate and retreat victoriously to the shady trees at your leisure with smart phone photos galore. With the breeze coming off the lake, it was totally do-able.

The Mohrs offered original music, with lyrics reflecting modern poetry, like “nobody perfectly sane would want to be with you…” Super catchy, and we’ve all crossed paths with someone in our lives that fits just that bill. Which makes it so much fun to sing along and nod, yes, we love this song! We were very impressed with their energy and charisma and solid talent. Great to see you all perform in Burlington!

Jordan Haller performed on Brant street on Sunday and was very impressive. http://www.jordanhaller.com/#music-section (below, bottom, second from left). Definitely talented. Even a non-tween can appreciate his original music and pop-vibe. The Lighthouse (bottom center picture) may surprise you when you realize you grew up with their songs being played on your parents radio, their fan base was huge on the OLG stage and you can reminisce and enjoy their music here…http://www.lighthouserockson.com/history.html. They relive their glory days these days performing much to the delight of their appreciative fans.

Junkhouse https://www.facebook.com/JUNKHOUSEHAMILTON a band that has performed all over the world, showed that we were truly heart and soul, rock and roll. It was great to hear them praise Hamilton, just across the bridge, and tell their story about their humble beginnings. You see, Hamilton and Burlington are neighbors. We share the same air, the same Lake Ontario, we share the Royal Botanical Gardens, we share a love for music. Russ Wilson on bass below…

Not only is Junkhouse cool, interesting, and talented in an off the beaten track kind of way, lead singer Tom Wilson has that “smart kind of funny because it’s true”, story-telling personality. Unbelievably true! I laughed my head off at those inbetween song stories. Best part is, this is a cool guy with tons of presence, that actually cares not only about his fans, but about the world. Hamilton’s The Red Hill Valley http://theredhillvalleys.com/ fans below, attended the Junkhouse show which was fantastic. I happened to meet lead singer in a guitar shop in Oakville, then I see these fans sporting the t-shirt. That is a good enough reason to mention them in this Hamilton home grown section of talent. A victory for one Hamilton band can pave the way for more steel town talent to take on the world. http://theredhillvalleys.com/music

Tom Wilson of Junkhouse did not depart the stage without leaving a lasting impression by addressing the crowd to be proud of who they are, where they came from, about being nicer and more patient with the people we share this planet with, and that he had faith that this world can and will be a better place to live for all of us if we just start with that. Benevolence becomes Junkhouse, thank you for that.

The Burlington Sound of Music was a first hand experience of artistic musical expressions. As each artist took each fan into their confidence, they drew us closer. Many of the musicians understood that they had a medium to bring people together beyond language borders by entering through each and every one of our hearts.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0de2W97x_Yg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-FuQ0h0zPo That you did, Junkhouse, keep shining.

 

Burlington Sound of Music 2016 Rejuvenates the Crowds of Fans

 

Young Rivals rocked the TD stage on Saturday June 18,2016…all photos and article by Paula Erskine

Still one more day left for seeing free concerts in Burlington Ontario Canada have a look and listen to the jam packed list of talented acts that will make you proud to be Canadian or impressed by your Canadian neighbors who don’t all live in Igloos… http://www.soundofmusic.ca/schedule.

In no particular order in terms of talent, I can share some wonderful images and a commentary about one of the best FREE things to attend in this end of Ontario, which is the Burlington Sound of Music Festival, of which I was privileged to attend at least three partial days due to my limited time in Canada during the flying season.

I cannot hide the fact that I did not see all of the acts, so I am no judge, and nobody likes a critic, but, of the acts I did catch, I cannot deny that there were some favourites. In other words, the following acts will exceed your expectations and actually blew us away because their music emits tremendous heart, soul and talent. The three acts that we loved so far:

Leahy, a family from Lakefield Ontario that performs with a family of 10, with violins, accordian, irish dancing, guitar, drums, gorgeous harmony and a family of 10 brothers and sisters that came from musician parents. Music is in their blood, heart and soul, and if you know anyone who has an inkling for music, they hold a music camp http://www.leahymusiccamp.com. I have no pictures, but they won the entire crowd over, with many surprises, reminding us what it is to have both top notch yet down to earth performance skills as well as incredible talent. They were delightful to watch, what a show on the OLG stage!

Another favourite was Dylan Menzie whose cd I bought called adolescent nature. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=dylan+menzie&view=detailv2&qpvt=dylan+menzie&id=48F237B3EBC74EC1BE9121F9DA7EBFC3A2D3BC24&selectedIndex=2&ccid=ikjuwZ6z&simid=608001154928674259&thid=OIP.M8a48eec19eb3746632131a31166a2df7o0&ajaxhist=0 Dylan Menzie blew us away, he is so talented, musically, vocally, he is the real deal, with terrific lyrics and great vibes. You have to hear this guy! He is young, with a finger on the pulse of the youth, yet somehow, a wise soul, singing his heart out. We feel you Dylan!https://www.facebook.com/dylanmenzieband. If you want your kids to listen to what talent really sounds like, he is it. And as an adult, I did not find it juvenile at all, only that it brought back memories and that youthful feeling we all hold in our hearts, which never ages.

Sean McCann, formerly of Great Big Sea, really poured his enlightened heart out, and bravely, boldly, shared personal details on his journey through sobriety, the friends he gave up, and the incredible soul searching journey that has given him a new perspective that took his already talented self to new heights in terms of musical giftedness. Sean McCann absolutely has emoted into a higher self that is very much down to earth, very deep, undeniably talented all on his own. His music, his presence poured vibrations out into the entire atmosphere starting from the Cogeco stage on Brant street in the city hall square. His music will make your hair stand on end! He is oozing with incredible vibrations, you can call it the X factor, and perhaps his journey of ups and downs made him who he is today. He is what we call a realized soul. His power, inspirations and talent were previously clouded, but now they pour out through his songs and presence, unimpeded, just free flowing, and without ego.He admitted that he was previously an angry man, but had discovered, that anger, just wants to hurt. Great music in my view, does not necessarily come from an uneventful life, but rather, can be a positive outlet to work out  painful situations that others can relate to. We feel you, Sean, and we can relate.

It reminds me that there are people, and musicians out there, who have the power to touch our soul once they wake up from the material world and get back to the reasons they got into the music business in the first place. His music is authentically filled with reflection and beauty. Sean McCann also played some favourites from the Great Big Sea days for the crowd and encouraged everyone to sing, saying “we’re all on this path together.” http://www.seanmccannsings.com/ find his wonderful new self here.https://www.facebook.com/GreatBigSean.

Having named names in terms of favourites, and only because it is impossible to see all 100 concerts because many of them are happening simultaneously, I will share a few more acts that I curated from my limited time to attend the festival this year. Here we go…

Let’s talk about the Young Rivals! What most impressed me  and my friend Kathleen about the Young Rivals was the drummer who took turns seamlessly singing and drumming at the same time, try it, just the thought of it! Kathleen and I felt that they way they played was reminiscent of how the Beatles harmonized and sang and rocked. We enjoyed them in the afternoon under some shady cherry trees in Spencer Smith Park. Young Rivals can be found here if you want to watch and listen to their music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b8CwNHAx54 and are one of over 100 FREE concerts offered over a 4 day period every year around Father’s Day Weekend which is not to be missed! On second listen, they definitely have a Beatles vibe.

Young Rivals above.

Enjoying shade under the cherry trees of Spencer Smith Park while breathing in Canadian music, and soaking up the summer.

The boats docked at Burlington’s inlet for some superb views as the music carried over the waves of Lake Ontario, Canada

A few of my favourite attendees…

The Fast Romantics infused the stage with talent, style, charisma, groove, with 6 members in chic rockin’ black and white. They are all so talented and good looking, if you will permit us to say, when the female keyboardist surprised us with playing the horn, we kind of wished all the arrangement had allowed us to hear only her playing, so she could shine a bit more. As it is, they are pretty great, but we would love to hear some musicians shine during different periods throughout the songs. When I heard they had  played with the Sheepdogs from Saskatchewan, I knew they must be talented, takes one talented band, to know another talented band. Well worth seeing, and you can see them here too http://fastromantics.com/

 

Hawksley Workman rounded out the evening talent at the Cogeco stage on Brant street with a huge crowd that spilled in to the streets. Hawksley it seems, is a poet, generally is very down to earth, has some interesting things he does with his voice, mostly at the end of his songs, which we would love to hear more of. But we didn’t mind his artistic, poetic ramblings about trees wrapped in decorative Christmas lights and Thomasville has a sale. His rantings were smoothly and poetically delivered, revealing a calm appreciation for life and a tough journey http://hawksleyworkman.com/. This is someone who was not shy about his spiritual ponderings and gratitude for quiet mornings drinking tea and filling up the bird feeder. Very pleasant and curious, we enjoyed his company. See Hawksley Workman working it in the pic below.

Sean McCann at the Burlington Sound of Music Festival 2016-Heart and Soul

The Fast Romantics were super cool…