|
|
|
| Sunday, 18 December 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Happenings / People Fashion Designer of the Year 2005 : One more day to go
One more day to go for the Fashion Designer of the year 2005, organized by Chula Nanayakkara Ariyaratne with the collaboration of the Sunday Observer and the Daily News to be held on December 19, 2005 at the BMICH. Sponsored by Singer (Sri Lanka) and covered by Sirasa TV, the tickets for the show are available at Singer Mega showrooms at Duplication Road, Nugegoda, Rajagiriya, Mt. Lavinia, Wattala and at Ramzi's at 65/7 A, D. S. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 8 (Tel:2698932) The dynamic combination by Mahes Perera
Tuesday nights belong to Nalin and the Star Combination who have over the years been performing at the lobby of the Galadari Hotel weekly. Their many years of experience, their versatility and their wide repertoire speaks for their success as a dynamic combination, much sought after by producers of shows. "We are happy to inform our fans that in the month of December we have a tight schedule and next Sunday, Christmas Day we will be performing for the festive Christmas lunch at the Galadari, entertaining all the families who turn up to celebrate Christmas;" an enthusiastic Nalin tells us. What's more, the band will be in action at the popular Otters Club on New Year's Eve dishing out their special brand of music to help the revellers to greet 2006. The Star Combination comprises Nalin Fernando the leader on guitar and vocals, Shermila Fonseka the female glitz and vocalist, daughter of the famous C. I. Fonseka, Dilantha Fernando on keyboards and vocals, Hirushke Fernando - on congas and vocals and Ajantha Siriwardena plays guitar and sings as well. The whole group is extremely versatile on vocals which gives the band a variety in repertoire and adds to their popularity. "We don't have any problems with our repertoire, but whatever we play our sessions are not complete until we have the baila sessions which is a big attraction at the many dances and weddings and functions," expresses Nalin. Next year the band will be releasing a CD of Nalin's originals and Shermila's songs which she sang with her father. Till then, catch their vibes on Tuesdays and be a part of their music on New Year's Eve. Variety in entertainment
Amidst the pulsating sounds of bangra, hip-hop and Latin, the simple down-to-earth country and western music has a strong following in our music industry. One of the groups that has successfully kept this music alive is Deflection comprising experienced musicians who in fact, to quote a cliche, deflected from other bands to form Deflection. The members one time belonged to groups like Orange Blossom Special, Sam the Man, Cosmic Rays, Red Sand and Pearl. Deflection has been busy with a fair share of work including wedding receptions, dances and corporate functions. Their repertoire, besides country and western, takes in evergreens, popular favourites and hits from the 60's to the 80's. The band members are multi-instrumentalists which gives the band an added attraction. Rohan Silva is the only musician now in our music scene who plays the steel guitar and is a versatile acoustic guitarist, harmonica player and vocalist. Nalaka Sylva the talented bass guitarist doubles up on acoustic guitar and sings too. The veteran drummer Chester Wilson plays the cornet and joins in the vocals. Keyboardist Nivantha Alexander is a talented acoustic guitarist who sings as well. The experienced T. Kumar Fernando plays lead and acoustic guitar and is a vocalist as well. Any wonder the band swings!. M.P. Totally different
Swasthika, a young vocal group have undergone a change of image and ready to take on the hard challenges that showbiz is bound to throw in their path. They miss two of their members, their dear friends due to tragic circumstances. This has spurred them into determined and positive action, as they will be releasing their new CD Samada or Eternity before Christmas and working towards a CD launch and a show in January next year. Swasthika comprise the trio Hafeel Preena who has majored in marketing in Australia, and now works for a trans national company, while Dinuka Sinhabahu is into Business, IT and Anushka Tennekoon is a professional web master. An Inter Club meeting spurred off the desire to come together and form the vocal group along with the other two, the late Niluka Suranga Weerasinghe and Gihan Prasad Gamage. Swasthika was born in 2003 and was soon successfully on stage for the Reach Out concerts 1 and 2 in Colombo, the third in Kandy and the fourth in Kurunegala for tsunami victims. All presented by the leading keyboardist Diliup Gabadamudalige. "This CD which is on the M Entertainment label contains fourteen original songs, the lyrics and melodies were created by us and the late Niluka and Gihan, and contains their voices as well. Our themes for the songs are quite naturally on youth rejuvenation - like youth for power in the right way.... like youth stand up for your rights.... there are love themes as well, we can't leave the girls out can we? ! But most of all we must say that working with Diliup has been a turning point in our career. It is a privilege working along with him on this CD. He taught us a lot of pointers we need to know, if we are looking at a long career in music", voice the threesome speaking forth their thoughts fast like in the lines of a play. A shift to music influences and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that Hafeel has drawn style influences from Sinatra, Presley, N'Sync, Pandit Amaradeva and Amarasiri Pieris, while Anushka admits his influences are Dr. Dre, Usher, A1 and Rod Stewart, Amarasiri Peiris and T. M. Jayaratne. Dinuke is an alternative rock fan enjoying the music of Creed, Slipknot, Three Doors Down and Blink 182. Yet now they are into Sinhala songs and proudly claim that they were responsible in bringing street dancing to the concert stage. Get yourself their CD, make a date with their concert next year, and enjoy their creativity - you'd be amazed at their talent. MP |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
