Bruce Guthro, Mary Jane Lamond, Richard Wood, Jessica Rhaye join pop/rock trio MIR for Atlantic Scene tour-de-force
April 10, 2003 -
OTTAWA (Ontario) -- The Juno train has pulled out of the station, however the nation's capital is preparing for another exciting musical experience: the Mir Supershow, an event that's sure to be a highlight of the upcoming National Arts Centre's Atlantic Scene festival that will run from April 22 to May 4.
"They don't call it a Supershow for nothing," said Mike Campbell, former host of MuchMusic's ear-to-the-ground Going Coastal show. "Mir is one of the Atlantic region's most accomplished acts. The concept of this show is road-tested annually in Halifax and is generally considered one of the best nights out of the year."
Halifax-based Mir is made up of Sri Lankan-born brothers Asif and Shehab Illyas on vocals and guitar/bass, and Adam Dowling on drums. Together they created the Mir Supershow, a unique concert with world-class distinction. The Halifax version of the show is a fundraiser for the Centre for Visible Minorities, a charity that helps settle new immigrants to Canada. The show is designed to embrace a wide range of musical genres in that same spirit. Mir's own music draws on the world for its inspiration - think Peter Gabriel or Sting with some Beatles tossed in.
CBC will record this unique performance for an upcoming television special. "We think that Mir is one of the most exciting bands working in Atlantic Canada today," said Geoff D'Eon, an award-winning executive producer for CBC Television. "Brilliant musicianship, rich harmonies, strong melodies, audiences everywhere will love this band."
The idea is pretty simple: put Mir on the stage to perform some of their own shimmering pop tunes; augment the band with a 16-piece symphony string section, a killer turntable maestro (Michel Deveau) and a world-class tabla player (Vineet Vyas). Then, take all of those fine musicians and have them step back to become the back-up band for their friends, a veritable who's who of celebrated and diverse talents from Atlantic Canada. Mir's "friends" include Bruce Guthro, the consummate singer songwriter; Richard Wood, the fiddling rock star who spends most of his time these days touring with The Chieftains; Jessica Rhaye, the fresh-faced young newcomer with the angelic voice, and; Mary Jane Lamond, probably the world's foremost Gaelic singer. Each artist take their turn at center-stage in the spotlight with Mir's powerful backing.
Any one of these artists would be worth the price of admission. All of them on the same stage, on the same night, is what makes this a Supershow, with a capital "S."
"It's a variety show," added Campbell, "but a very special one. It's actually more of a tour-de-force. One comes away from it feeling like you've been part of something rarely experienced."
TICKETS
Tickets for the Mir Supershow are available at the NAC Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by telephone at 755-1111, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca and www.atlanticscene.ca.
When purchasing your Atlantic Scene tickets at the NAC Box Office, pick up the Scene-Select card. The card gets you 20% off all Atlantic Scene events, free admission to late-night parties and a free East Coast compilation CD. The Scene-Select card costs only $20, $15 for NAC subscribers, or $10 for full-time students with valid ID.
PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
Partners include the Government of Canada and the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Governments of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well at the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership. Media and corporate sponsors include CBC-Radio Canada, the National Post, Transcontinental Media, the Ottawa Citizen, Le Droit, Rogers Television 22, Alexander Keith's, Clearwater Fine Foods Inc., VIA Rail Canada, Eastlink, Universal Music, The Shaw Group, Delta Hotels, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ottawa, The Aristocrat Hotel and EMI Music Canada. Philanthropists Margaret and David Fountain, The Craig Foundation, The Donald R. Sobey Foundation and Purdy Crawford have also provided important financial support.
The National Arts Centre's Atlantic Scene is the first in a series of biennial regional festivals to take place in the nation's capital, which will showcase the best in Canadian arts and culture from coast to coast. Four hundred established and emerging artists from the East Coast will take part in 85 events ranging from theatre, visual arts, film, comedy and literature, to Celtic, Acadian, pop and classical music - and even culinary arts.
For the full Atlantic Scene lineup, showtimes and complete ticket information, please visit www.atlanticscene.ca.
