Posts Tagged ‘drums’

Winter Stations 2020

Posted: February 28, 2020 in events, locations, public art, waterfront
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This is the 6th annual Winter Stations art installation event at Woodbine Beach.  It was officially opened on Family Day, February17th.

below: Tying yellow ribbons on the yellow metal frame in “Mirage”, designed by Cristina Vega and Pablo Losa Fontangordo.  The orange frame is parallel to the lake and the yellow sections are perpendicular.    Depending on where you are standing, you see either a red transparent sun setting or a light and bright rising sun laying on the horizon.

5 people working, two up on ladders, Lake Ontario in the background, tying yellow ribbons on an orange metal frame, finishing touches on an art installation called Mirage

tying yellow ribbons on an orange metal frame, finishing touches on an art installation called Mirage

below: “The Beach’s Percussion Ensemble” by Centennial College while under construction.

woman holding a shovel, on beach, by some yellow and pink boxes, installing a public art display at Woodbine Beach

below: The end product.  There is now graffiti on the boxes

tagged and graffiti covered pink and yellow boxes stacked on the beach, art installation by Centennial College students.

below: and cowbells hung from the underside of boxes in a couple of places.

smal cowbells hang from the underside of a yellow box that is stacked on top of two other boxes, one yellow and one pink

below: “Kaleido­scope of the Senses” is a strong piece designed by Charlie Sutherland of SUHUHA (An architecture studio in Edinburgh).  People were lining up to take turns sitting on the lifegusard chair.

people lined up to take a look inside a portion of art installation at Woodbine Beach

a father lifts up a young boy in a red winter coat so he can sit inside an art installation over a lifeguard station at the beach

below: “Noodle Feed” by iheartblob was very popular on the Sunday before Family Day (the official opening of ‘Winter Stations’).   It wasn’t designed to have a jumping feature but that’s what all the kids were doing that day.  The fabric tubes are filled with straw.

a girl jumping off a lifeguard station onto rolls of fabric stuffed with straw, on the beach

below: When I returned to the beach a few days later, the installation was gone.

a metal frame lifeguard station, raised seat, with a red board against the back and a sign on the front that says do not jump off lifeguard chair

blue pole with two small signs, both with snow on them, the top sign just has the number 3 on it. the other sign has its back to the camera so it can't be read

Information about the installations can be found at winterstations.com

Go Jays Go

Posted: October 10, 2015 in events
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It would be fun to write a post about the winning ways of the Blue Jays and up until two days ago I could have.  After a great ending to the baseball season, the Blue Jays entered the playoffs with back to back afternoon games against the Texas Rangers here in Toronto.   Yesterday the Rangers beat us 5 to 3.  Again today, the Blue Jays lost by two runs but this time it took 14 innings, or close to 5 hours.

The Rogers Centre holds just over 49,000 people and it was filled to capacity both days.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - many people on the stairs to the east of the stadium, and many people waiting in the square below, trying to get into the stadium through gate 6.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a woman gets the words Go Jays Go painted onto her cheek in blue and white paint

young man wearing Toronto Blue Jays light blue jersey, and he's wearing a blue jays flag as a cape that is billowing out from behind him. Other young men are around him, on their way to baseball game.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a young man wearing a Jays grey T-shirt break dances in front of a5 man drum band who are all wearing blue Blue Jays T-shirts. There are many fans watching them play.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a group of men buy baseball caps from a vendor outside the stadium.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a man in Blue Jays shirt and cap is being interviewed by CHCH TV

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a young woman poses with a man dressed in a chicken costume and a Blue Jays T-shirt

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a sea of heads, people waiting in line to get into the stadium.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a man watches over the crowd

A man wearing a white Blue Jays uniform plays the drums while an onlooker poses beside him for a picture.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - security guards checking the people entering through gates 10 and 11 at the Rogers Centre for a baseball game

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - the crowd waits in line to get into the stadium, with a statue of Ted Rogers standing over the people

The next two games of the American League Division Series are scheduled to be played in Texas on Sunday and Monday.  If a fifth game is needed (it’s a best of five series), it will played in Toronto on the 14th of October, next Wednesday.
Keep your fingers crossed!

pedestrian Sunday, Kensington

Posted: September 3, 2015 in events, public art
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On the last Sunday of the month from May through October, the streets of the Kensingon Market area are closed to vehicular traffic from noon to 7 p.m.  This year, the first two Pedestrian Sundays were cold and wet.   For July and August the last Sundays of both months were hot and sunny.  The following photos were taken on those two days.   Entertainment… music… art…  people watching…. restaurants… shops – the colours of Kensington.

A man with a bushy beard and pointy brown hat is sitting at a table selling things like necklaces and tie dyed shirts

A man is juggling three flaming torches while a crowd looks on, outdoor event.

A woman is smiling as she sits on the steps of a store. Racks of colourful clothing are on display, and for sale, on either side of her

Two women in orange and yellow safety vests. One is sitting on a waist high barrier to keep cars off the street while the other woman is standing and leaning against it.

A man is wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Marilyn Munroe with sunglasses on it. He is trying to sell T-shirts and other works of art outside on the sidewalk. Beside him is a street art painting of a man's face, with his finger in front of his lips.

A man plays scrabble outdoors on the street while wearing roller blades
One man is sitting on a patio surrounded by a few empty tables and chairs. Right behind him is a man sitting at a table inside. The window is open so the man inside is visible

A young man with a Captain America shield, poses in the street

A woman with long grey hair, dark sunglasses and and black and white shirt is in front of a store window. On the window are the words Celebrating 50

A woman selling hats is holding a straw hat with a black band. A male customer is reaching for a dark blue hat.

a street musician stands beside his empty banjo case. In front of the case is a note that says " I need money to buy gas for my pickup to go to the vet to pick up my injured dog who was kicked by my wife as whe walked out the door to run off with my best friend"

 

A rack of clothing on display outside. The sign at the end of the rack says $5 rack. It is made of a collage of pictures of women and clothes.
A man is painting a circular maze on a street

A woman is standing behind a table covered with things that she is selling, outdoors. A sign beside the table says MIB Rolling Stoned Stoner Yard Sale

Three musicians are playing on a rooftop, two guitar players and a drummer. They are on top of the Fairland grocery store in Kensington

three women at an outdoor event. One is wearing sunglasses and a silver necklace. She is holding a cold drink in her hands. The other two women are older and are wearing hats.

female drummer from Amai Kuda and Yjosephine playing at Kensington Pedestrian Sunday

A woman in white is using red fabric ropes to perform acrobatic moves above a crowd of people at an outdoor event.

At an outdoor art exhibit, two kids are behind a display of three paintings of women and butterflies. Only the legs of one child are visible while the legs and side of the body of the other child is visible.

A woman is wearing a hat and sunglasses. She is beside a rack of many straw hats with different coloured bands.

Chalkboard sign outside a restaurant that says Fries b 4 guys. Two people are inside the restaurant, sitting at a table and eating
A woman is tying a black string bikini onto a mannequin
A man is standing in front of a green door that is covered with stickers, graffiti and bits of old posters

Parts of three paintings of children hanging outside on display

A woman with long bright pink hair sits beside a table of art wortks for sale. Beside her is white pedestal with a brightly coloured abstract sculpture on it

A woman is typing on an old typewriter at an outdoor event, Pedestrian SUnday at Kensington Market. She is the Spontaneous PRose Shop. Pay her and she'll compose haiku, poetry or stories for you.

A picture of a woman resting on her folded arms is on a brownish coloured guitar. A man's hand is in the picture as he plays the guitar

An assortment of things for sale on a table including a basket of stuffed animals, some shirts on hangers and a childs red Chinese jacket.

will write poetry or prose for 25 cents

sunglasses and their reflections of Kensington

buskerfest 2015

Posted: September 2, 2015 in events, people
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Toronto International Buskerfest for Epilepsy, 2015,
over 70 acts from Canada and around the world.

Yonge Street, College to Queen,
28th Aug through 31st Aug

below: The Funnykito Show,  Dan Marques is a performer from Brazil, part magician, part mime and part clown.  Here he sets up a trick whereby he tries to remove a beer bottle from the hands of a volunteer with a whip.

A busker, Funnykito, has a volunteer on stage, The man (volunteer) is holding a beer bottle upside down between the palms of his two hands
Part of the Funnykito Show where he tries to remove a beer bottle from the hands of a volunteer using a whip
Two kids, boy and a girl, sit on the pavement while they watch a performer at an outdoor busker festival

below:  MaracaTALL, drummers on stilts

Men on stilts, wearing large gold hats and gold and green costumes, play drums as they walk on stilts above the crowds on Yonge St.
A man in a blue shirt and beige baseball cap watches in fascination at a performance at a street festival. There are other people in the crowd around him.

below: There were four or five members of the Mirror Family roaming around Yonge Dundas Square.  They were covered from head to toe with small pieces of mirror.

A woman with blue reflective sunglasses is standing beside a roaming busker act, one of the Mirror Family, a woman covered from head to toe with small pieces of mirror
In the foreground a person is clapping, in the background is a crowd of people that are out of focus

below: Meow Mur, a cosmic cat from another planet

Meow Mur, a busker character dressed in a bright multicoloured leotard costume with cat like facial features.

Two people watching a performance at a street festival. One of them is wearing a large red and white Dr. Suess hat.

below: Max T. Oz

The busker, Max T. Oz performs his sleight of hand act at a street festival. A crowd is watching he pretends to slice his arm with a large knife.

A picture of the crowd watching a show at buskerfest, they are smiling and clapping. A small table with some oranges and a baseball is the foreground, part of the equipment used by Max T. Oz

A girl sits on her father's shoulders as she watches a show at buskerfest

below: Brant the Fireguy has a burning desire to entertain and does so with his ‘O Yeah’ show.

fireguy juggles three flaming torches at an outdoor street festival, Toronto buskerfest on Yonge St. , in front of a crowd of people

Part of Fireguy's Oh Yeah show where he puts a flaming rod into his mouth.
In the foreground is a close up of the busker Fireguy's feet as he stands on a skateboard that is balancing on a large tube, all on top of a box. On the box is written the words 'A burning desire to entertain'. Many people are watching the show.

people sitting on the sidewalk watching a busker perform

below: Pierre St. Pierre

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below: Buskerfest helps to support Epilepsy Toronto; it is their largest fund raiser.

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below: Lulu’s World, where a black marker and some tissue paper helps to bring a story to life.

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below: Upside down on the rope, Natural Wings

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A woman with part of hair dyed a bright pink colour sits with a group of kids on the pavement, others stand behind them. They are all watching a performance at a street festival

below: Wacky Chad, pogo sticks, dance moves, little bikes, and more

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below: Alakazam, throwing knives and other sharp objects as his show’s finale

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below: Pyromancer, fire breather, entertains the crowd.

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Three boys in orange T-shirts sitting on orange benches. A very orange picture

below: Taking turns conducting a small string orchestra

Two young girls take a turn at conducting a small group of musicians playing string instruments at an outdoor festival

  below: Giant Sauruses wander Yonge Dundas Square looking for food.  They are part of Close Act Theatre Group from the Netherlands.

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A woman with long dark hair and sunglasses is holding a small white dog

below: The Yo-Yo Guy, John Higby, performs.

The Yo yo guy is doing a trick with a yo yo where he makes a shape out of the string and his fingers while the yo yo keeps spinning

below: Part of his act involves removing a coin from behind the ear of a volunteer with a spinning yo-yo.

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kultura 2015

Posted: August 11, 2015 in events
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10th Annual Kultura Festival

This Filipino arts festival was 4 days long;
I caught some of it on its last day, 9th August, at Yonge Dundas Square.

Phillipines flag hanging from the top of an open sided tent. A young man is holding down one of the corners so it doesn't blow in the breeze

a large number of people at a festival at Yonge Dundas square.

a longline of people waits for food at an outdoor festival at Yonge Dundas Square in Toronto

a young man preparing food outdoors on hotplates at a festival

Women buying Filipino food at a vendor at an outdoor festival

three young men preparing food outdoors on hotplates and a barbecue at a festival

a line of filipino design T-shirts for sale on a table outdoors

A filipino woman singer and a woman on drums, on a stage, outdoors, making music

The Lonsdales from Vancouver

A male singer with a man bun is sitting in front of a keyboard playing music and singing

Sean Kua

multicoloured geometric shapes that together make a star shape

Streetfest on the Beach, 2015

Posted: July 25, 2015 in events, people
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The annual Streetfest on the Beach,
on Queen St. East between Woodbine and Beech,
23rd, 24th, and 25th July

A young Asian boy is on his mother's shoulders. He is looking back. He is wearing a greyhat with a red band, as well as a tie.

A crowd is on Queen St in Toronto as they have come to listen to live music as part of streetfest at the beach, intersection with Glen Manor Road

looking east, Friday evening

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Three brass players performing outside. Two men on saxophones and a woman playing a trumpet

A couple sitting a bench laughing. They were taking a selfie when they noticed 4 photographers taking their picture. She is embarrassed and is covering her face, he is laughing.

young black man, drummer, laughing as he plays the drums

Isaiah Gibbons, drummer, Saishubi

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a group of older people dancing to the music on the street at a street music festival

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three musicians performing outside. Two women singers and one male singer

the Arsenals

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young man in dreadlocks and a yellow Tshirt waiting to perform at a music festival

A black woman with shoulder length curly hair and a bright pink top is singing into a microphone. A woman in green is watching her

Mae, singer in Grace, Toronto’s all female funk & soul band

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A woman's back is to the camera as she watches live music outside. Her black hair is tied in a short ponytail, she is wearing a white hat and a white sundress. She has a large tattoo on one shoulder blade.

two young boys sitting on the sidewalk watching a drummer play in a band in a street music festival performance

A young boy looks longinly at his sister who is drinking coconut water from a coconut with a straw. He is trying to reach his own straw

man playing the guitar outdoors at a street music festival

Paul James band

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A man is squatting on the sidewalk with two girls on his knee. Both girls have balloons. They are part of a crowd watching a band perform in a street music festival

saxophone player playing in front of many microphones at an outdoor music festival

saxophone, Blue Room

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lead singer for Blue Room, grey hair and beard, Hawaiian shirt, black hat, singing at streetfest at the beach

Brian Neller, lead singer, Blue Room

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A man has his arm around a woman's back and her hand is on his shoulder as they watch a musical performance outside along with a number of other people

Dr. Draw playing his violin in front of a crowd, outdoor street music festival

Dr. Draw

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Dr. Draw and his backup guitar player, streetfest at the beach,

keyboard player in Conor Gains band playing at Streetfest at the Beach, Queen St. in Toronto in July, summer evening

Conor Gains Band

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A man is buying food from a food truck

 

Ratha yatra

Posted: July 20, 2015 in general Toronto
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The 43rd Annual Festival of India started with a parade down Yonge Street from Bloor to Queens Quay on Saturday afternoon.

The parade is similar to an annual procession that has occurred for centuries in the city of Puri, India as part of a Hindu festival associated with the god Jagannath.  Here in Toronto, as in Puri,  three chariots constructed to look like temples are pulled through the streets in a procession from one temple to another.    Each chariot carries a richly decorated representation of a god, first is  Jagannatha (another name for Krishna or God) and then his brother Baladeva and his sister Subhadra.   The chariots are pulled by people and the procession symbolizes the pulling of the Lord into our hearts.

In Puri, this Ratha-Yatra procession continues to attract over a million people every year.
In Toronto, the numbers aren’t quite that high!

parade going down Yonge St. using just the southbound lanes. A policeman on bike keeps the traffic out of the way. A float is being pulled by people walking in the parade. Part of the Festival of India in Toronto.

float in a parade for the Festival of India, or the Chariot Festival, a Hindu celebration, in downtown Toronto

 

below: Many people used ropes to pull the floats down Yonge Street.

people are using a long thick rope to pull a float down a city street for a parade.

below: Other people danced, walked, sang and chanted Hare Krishna mantras.

Some women in saris and men in traditional Indian clothes, dance and walk in a parade down Yonge St. as part of the Festival of India
Some women in saris and men in traditional Indian clothes, dance and walk in a parade down Yonge St. as part of the Festival of India

The back of a T shirt that a man is wearing. It has all the words of the hare Krishna mantra on it.

 The festivities continued on Centre Island for the remainder of the weekend.