Aboriginal Music Week in Winnipeg celebrating Aboriginal artists starting Nov 3

Press release ...

Introducing Aboriginal Music Week

October 21, 2009

The Manitoba Aboriginal Music Host Committee Inc. is launching a new music festival next month called Aboriginal Music Week (AMW09). The 5-day event begins November 3 and includes five evening concerts, three free lunch hour concerts and three music business workshops. The artists are Aboriginal and Native American acts from across North America and the venues include the West End Cultural Centre, the Pantages Playhouse, Blush Ultraclub, and the Martial Caron Theatre.

"Aside from our Friday Night 49er at Blush, parents will be able to bring their kids to all of the Aboriginal Music Week concerts," says Alan Greyeyes, chairperson for the Manitoba Aboriginal Music Host Committee Inc. "We'll be introducing new audiences to the innovative music being made by Aboriginal artists from across the continent- you'll hear everything from Native hip hop to Indigenously-fused cello compositions. I'm excited!"

Tickets will range from $2.50 for advance purchases to $10 at the door.

The full festival lineup is available at www.aboriginalmusicweek.ca

Festival highlights include:

  • 11 free MP3s from Aboriginal Music Week acts available for download at www.aboriginalmusicweek.ca.
  • Acts are coming to Winnipeg from Churchill, Los Angeles, Yellowknife, Sioux Falls, The Pas, Goose Bay, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Barrie.
  • Tickets for the Urban Music Concert are $2.50 Advance, and $5 Door. The show is at the West End Cultural Centre on November 4.
  • Crystal Shawanda will be hosting the Rising Stars concert at the Pantages Playhouse on November 5. A second high profile host will be announced shortly.
  • The Rising Stars concert will include performances by cellist Cris Derksen, Inuit electronica producer DJ Madeskimo, alt-rockers Ghostkeeper, Churchill's Evan Reeve, and six others.
  • Joey Stylez (over 1 million views on YouTube) will be headlining the Friday Night 49er at Blush Ultraclub on November 6 (www.youtube.com/user/joeystidylez).
  • Digging Roots will be headlining the Closing Night Concert with The Bastard Fairies on November 7 at the Martial Caron Theatre.


The Manitoba Aboriginal Music Host Committee Inc. would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Winnipeg Arts Council, and Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport. The AMW09 sponsors and event partners are the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, CBC Radio 2, Eagle Vision Productions, Redworks Studio, Colourblind Graphic Design, Boivin Communications Group, Portage Place Shopping Centre, and Manitoba Music.

The Manitoba Aboriginal Music Host Committee Inc. is a non-profit organization, governed by an eight-person Board of Directors. The board members are Alan Greyeyes, Lisa Meeches, Waubgeshig Rice, Jacques St. Goddard, Jamie Isaac, David Robertson, Teressa Clifton, and Kim Ziervogel. The organization has produced a Manitoba Métis music and dance tour for the 2009 Cultural Olympiad, and Aboriginal events for the Western Canadian Music Awards and the JUNO Awards.

ABORIGINAL MUSIC WEEK AT A GLANCE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
* Opening Night Concert
Tracy Bone, Don Amero
West End Cultural Centre
7pm-10pm

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
* Urban Music Concert & Aboriginal Film Screenings
MUSIC: Wab Kinew, Sadie, isKwe
FILM: Aboriginality, Ikwe, Nikamowin
West End Cultural Centre
6pm-9pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5
* Free lunch hour concert: Joey Stylez
Portage Place Shopping Centre
12pm-1pm

* Music Business Workshop: Entertainment Law
Manitoba Music
2pm-4pm

* Rising Stars Concert
DJ Madeskimo, Cris Derksen, Sonia Eidse, Ghostkeeper, and more...
Pantages Playhouse
7pm-11pm

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6
* Free lunch hour concert: isKwe
Portage Place Shopping Centre
12pm-1pm

* Music Business Workshop: Digital Music Marketing
Manitoba Music
2pm-4pm

* Friday Night 49er
Joey Stylez, Bitterly Divine
Blush Ultraclub
9pm-2am

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7
* Free lunch hour concert: Quetzal Guerrero
Portage Place Shopping Centre
12pm-1pm

* Music Business Workshop: Placing Music in Film & Television
Manitoba Music
2pm-4pm

* Digging Roots, The Bastard Fairies
Martial Caron Theatre
7pm-10pm