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Accolade- The Music Awards Of Guyana

SALUTATION

It is an absolute honour and privilege to stand before you wonderful people this evening to share the vision of Accolade- the music awards of Guyana.

But first I would particularly like to welcome all those gathered here to celebrate with us the achievements in the music industry, especially those partners who have demonstrated their confidence in us by coming on board with resources that are necessary to make this event successful. The achievement I refer to represents a continuous journey by dozens of artiste, music producers, and DJ’s whose talent, immense hard work and absolute passion has driven us to this point.

Bringing people to a love of music and encouraging them to participate in and enjoy musical experiences is a special gift given to mankind unfortunately not to all of us in this room. It is the legacy of great sons of music of Guyana that dedicated their time, talent and enthusiasm to this new generation of musicians who in turn are expected to emulate the generosity to encourage the musicians of tomorrow.

I am personally delighted that this effort to host the music awards of Guyana is most timely as it coincides with a period of an upsurge in recorded music by industry veterans to the latest surge in fresh and new unsigned talent on the local music scene.

The vision of the Accolade is to create a product of excellence to showcase our rich and diverse art and cultures. It is the unleashing of vast potentials in the music industry.

These awards gives Guyana another opportunity to make its mark in the international arena by rewarding artistic excellence in the music industry through a premier event comparable to international Award shows such as the Grammy’s and the one produced by BET.

In November at the actual awards there will be a line up of fantastic performances which will represent a climax for the local entertainment diehards and at the same time promote and represent a hype for the local music industry. Guyanese are asked to prepare themselves for an event which can only be billed as an excellent experience – from red carpet entrances to outstanding local and regional performances from a mind blowing awards ceremony to international celebrity endorsements.

The music industry is at a critical crossroad and deserves every effort to highlight its achievements, motivate its artistes, elevate standards, encourage artistic excellence and utilize talents that may be inclined to engage in negative endeavours.

I would like to urge all stakeholders of the music industry to come together to collectively shape the industry. There are still challenges which we have to work collectively to confront, such as modern copyright legislation and improving the quality of our production to compete at the international standard. We are aware this is a huge task ahead of us but not one impossible to achieve with the cooperation and support of Guyanese including those in the business sector.

Importantly there is rising expectation by Guyanese and musicians themselves which is inevitable in an emerging competitive environment of increase quality and standard. The Accolade seeks to unleash the potential of musicians by first of all recognizing, appreciating and rewarding them for their contributions to the striving music industry in Guyana. We aim also to extend motivation and provide exposure for local artistes, all relevant to the growth and development of the industry and to provide them an opportunity to market and highlight their talent as a product.

We believe these objectives will encourage and promote quality as well as increase meaningful involvement in an effort to ensure the overall development of the music industry in Guyana.

The Accolade will live up to the expectation of all Guyanese. We thank you all for coming out this evening as an endorsement of Accolade- the music awards of Guyana. We look forward to seeing you November 30.

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Accolade Awards launch on Friday @Zoom Inn

Arrowhead Promotions, July 23, 2008- An enticement  awaits music lovers, industry professionals, fashion designers, press officials, recording agents, sponsors and potential sponsors when they converge for the Official Launch of Accolade — the music awards of Guyana, on Friday, July 25, 2008, at Zoom Inn Hotel.

The launch is the commencement of a celebration of the music industry in Guyana culminating into an annual music awards to promote the achievements by industry veterans to the latest surge in fresh and new
unsigned talent on the local music scene.

Among light entertainment and cocktails, the evening will introduce patrons to those who are part of our strategic partnership including private sector, commercial brands and public sector organizations.
Additional plans for activities including celebrity endorsements and participation by those with Guyanese roots and connections will also be revealed.

This is the second major activity leading up to November 30 where the red carpet will be rolled out for Guyanese and visitors who are expected to dress in their finest local designer clothing and be
photographed by celebrity photographers before they enter what is slated to be the biggest awards gala the country has ever seen.

This Music Awards of Guyana seek to reward artistic excellence in the music industry that has definitely shown signs of growth and development over the years. These awards coincide with strategic
efforts to “promote Guyana”, through its rich and diverse arts and cultures. Exhibiting our local talent at another level is the continuation of the unleashing of vast potentials. Email:[email protected])

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Wildfire Production Presents – Wild Fire Fest 2K8 (1st Anniversary Celebration)

Wild Fire Fest 2k8 is about to kickoff and the preparations are on fire! The artists will be in the country as of Friday July 25th and there are a few events where party fans can get a glimpse of their favorite artists before the Wild Fire Fest 2k8. First off, everyone can see the artists live via NCN ch 11 on Friday July 25th at 9 pm and simultaneous broadcast via 98.1 hot fm radio. They will be at the Black and White party which will be held at Palm Court. This is invitational BUT patrons can get access simply by wearing a Black and white outfit and paying the entrance fee. However, they must fulfill both requirements.

Interviews will be done, as well as autograph signing, and picture opportunities. Then during the day segment of the Wild Fire Fest 2k8 the artists will be in and out of the National Stadium to hype and interact with the crowd. The Wild Fire Fest 2k8 kicks off officially at 12pm Saturday July 26th 2008 and entertainment starts then. Then from 2pm to 5pm kids can get to see Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer perform every hour! These characters comes with the compliments of Tons of Fun Entertainment company.

They will also have a fun station set up with standees of WWE characters such as Rey Mysterio, John Cena and others which kids can take pictures with. In between performances the crowd will be entertained by popular sound systems, Emcees Mr Chow Pow, Malcolm Ferreira, Shurwayne Winchester, Serani, Ce’cile and others! These intermittent performances will only be short interactions and not the actual performance that the artists will be doing in the evening segment. Lucky persons will also be able to meet these artist throughout the day at the National Stadium. The official after party will be at the Stadium View Bar with special guests from the Wild Fire Fest 2k8. The live performance segment of the Wild Fire Fest 2k8 will begin at 6:30 pm SHARP and this will have to start on time as there are quite a number of artists who will give quality performances. So if you don’t want to miss out on any of the action, make sure you are in the ground by 6 pm for the evening performances. Children under 12 are free, adults are $3,000, and limited VIP’s are $20,000. VIP Tickets are available at Nanda’s Boutique and the first 100 persons can get a 10% discount on their purchase when they buy a VIP as well as a FREE invitation to the Black and White Party. The VIP ticket allows parking inside of the stadium parking lot and the entrance will be the southern gate of the National Stadium. The northern gate will be the general entrance. The VIP area is around the stage and the tickets also entitles the holder to free drinks, free finger foods and seating. However the VIP bar and service is not open until 6pm. All patrons, except children, will be given special security Wildfire wristbands which is durable even in water and will allow access in and out of the National Stadium throughout the day.

Tickets are available at Upper Level Barber Shop, Nanda’s Boutique, Nigel’s Supermarket, JR Burgers, Matt’s Record Bar, White Castle Fish Shop, and Stadium View. Early bird tickets are already sold out and limited VIP’s are available Nigel’s Supermarket, Gifltand Officemax, Nanda’s Boutique, and Upper Level Barber Shop. We would like to extend thanks to our sponsor F&H Printing for their support in all our activities.

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Grow More Food Festival

The new Guyana Marketing Cooperation in collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry held the Grow More Food Festival at the National Stadium Providence. The event was widely perceived as a success based on the attendance and the response acquired by those who attended the event. This event was in keeping with the recent drive by the Ministry of Agriculture to encourage large, small and medium scale businesses attached to the agriculture industry to grow more food. But this initiative is not aimed solely at the business sector and this event was an opportunity to also encourage families to engage in the planting of kitchen gardens and other small scale agricultural activities to help to offset the effects of raising food prices locally and internationally. Though this initiative is not a new one it is a timely endeavor considering the state of the global raise in oil and food prices.

The event served as a platform for businesses in the agri-industry as well as those businesses who utilize agricultural products to showcase their various products and/or services. The showcasing of these entities would serve to broaden their customer base by giving them publicity and exposure, cause improvements to be brought into the agriculture industry by showing businesses there are others in their field thus forcing them to improve their standards to compete more effectively in the marketplace and by extension benefiting the consumers because competition forces businesses to improve on the quality of their products and services, and it will also serve to improve the agriculture industry as a whole and by extension the economic condition of the country.

The booths on display were an attempt to showcase the various aspects of the agricultural industry. There were displays ranging from the raw products all the way to the finished products and products made from the by products of agricultural materials. There were farmers displaying vegetables and fruits which can be grown on a medium to large scale basis. There were livestock present to show the potential of that aspect of the agricultural industry for development and expansion. Companies that supply farmers with the vital equipment and chemicals that are necessary to the successful production of the produce and livestock were also present to show their products. The skilled craftsmen who utilize the by products of agricultural production were also present to showcase their talent and products. There were even representatives from the fisheries sector there to show the fruitfulness of the land of many waters through the aquaculture industry. Items used in the preparation of food were also on display that can be found locally made by Guyanese companies. As compulsory at any Guyanese event there were numerous food and drinks bars for patrons to enjoy wholesome Guyanese food and drinks all day and night. Not to be outdone were the persons who source and sell plants of various kinds, from seeds of decorative plants to those of agricultural significance like tomatoes and peppers to assist those persons desirous of starting or enhancing their own kitchen gardens, as well as persons selling seedlings and small plants of various kinds.

Even though the primary purpose of the event was to showcase the agricultural potential of the Guyanese people there was also an entertainment aspect of the evening which was appreciated by those in attendance. This part of the evening was to showcase Guyanese and regional musical and creative talent.

There was a fashion display that showcased the creativity of our very talented designers while at the same time showing off some of the best models we have locally. The works of various designers were on display depicting both male and female clothing as well as apparel for various events, indicating the versatility of the designers. It must be stated that the models did an excellent job showcasing the pieces chosen much to the satisfaction the large gathering.

Musical performances were given by local and Trinidadian artiste to entertain the large crowd and to bring the curtains down on a day filled with information and fun in a wholesome family setting. For more on the musical performances be sure to check out the gallery.

By – Andrew Ross

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Guyana Fashion Weekend – Ready and Rearing to Go!

Guyana Fashion Weekend took Guyana by storm when Sonia Noel, turned her dream to reality at the end of August in 2007. Celebrities, diplomats and general patrons all wondered how they could top such an excellent production in 2008. Noel and her team have been tasked to think out side of the box to produce an event which is more spectacular in 2008.

Plans are well on their way and an indication of this was clear on July 12th and 13th when the casting team of Rudy Saul, Richard Young, Negla Brandis, Donna Short-Gill and Kofi Branch met at Zoom in to audition model hopefuls. Over 100 models showed up over the two days expecting to be a part of Guyana’s premier Fashion Event.

The casting team expressed a sense of excitement with the beauty of the female and male models that auditioned for the events. It was also noted that the passion of the models was amazing as many of them couldn’t wait to find out if they were chosen to model on the eighty foot catwalk.

Guyana Fashion Weekend takes place from October 1st – 5th 2008 and will feature three fashion nights instead of 2 nights previously held in 2007. Sonia Noel also encouraged the public to get their tickets early in 2008 because sold out crowds in the previous year caused many persons to be disappointed when they arrived at the venue.

GFW2008 is being deemed as the event where fashion comes to life and expects fashion from Guyana, the Caribbean Diaspora and the French Caribbean. Media from Europe, North America and the Caribbean are also expected to be a part of the event.

Public Relations services provided by:

The Design Factor (Barbados)

Kofi A. Branch

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 592-698-5195

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Guyana Fashion Weekend Castings Continue Tomorrow

models models1 models2

The first day of Castings for the Guyana Fashion Weekend took place at Zoom Inn Hotel, Street. Some sixty (60) hopefuls were excited to come before the panel of casting directors, Donna Shortgill- Guyana Today hostess, Rudy Saul – veteran technical producer and Kofi Branch – Caribbean Fashion Producer.

Kofi Branch, who also doubles as Public Relations Director for the event, said that the first day of castings was exciting and it was great to see new faces at the audition and was amazed to see the enthusiasm.

Castings continue tomorrow at 1300 hrs for Designers and at 1500 hrs, models will have the opportunity once again to strut their stuff to be a part of the event.

Models requiring more information can contact Ruth at 613-7457 or Kofi at 698-5195.

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Guyana Fashion Weekend Casting brought forward

Models and designers hoping to be a part Guyana’s premiere fashion event, Guyana Fashion Weekend are asked to note that the date of the castings for Models and Designers have been changed. The information came from Public Relation Director, Kofi A. Branch.

Interested models who think they have the look and charisma to be on the catwalk of the prestigious event are invited to audition on July 12th and 13th 2008 from 3 – 6 p.m. on both days at Zoom Inn Hotel on Croal Street, while Designers are asked to audition on Sunday July 13th 2008 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Guyana Fashion Weekend takes place on October 1st – 5th 2008 and is expected to be the greatest display of fashion from USA, Europe and the Caribbean Diaspora.

Persons requiring more information can contact 613-7457 or 698-5195.

Public Relations Services provided by

Kofi A. Branch

THE DESIGN FACTOR

Tel: (246) 237-8708

Tel: (592) 698-5195

Email: [email protected]

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Accolade Nomination Panel targets diverse music styles

Artiste to be nominated in 35-categories

Music lovers are buzzing with excitement as Accolade- the music awards of Guyana intensifies preparations to celebrate music excellence and achievement by local artiste who have made their mark.

The Nomination Panel comprising Burchmore Simon, Music Producer, Kerwyn Bollers, Entertainer, Sean Bhola, Song Writer/Producer, Jaya Manickchand, Attorney-at Law and Malcolm Ferreira, Radio Announcer/DJ is aiming to capture a diverse range of musical styles with a line up of 35 categories for which artiste will be shortlist for Awards on November 30th. The period under consideration for these awards is January 1, 2004 to December 30, 2006.

Local Disc Jockeys, Radio Announcers, Recording Studios, Record Bars and the public participation at large will feature prominently in determining who the winners will since they all play an important role in the music industry.

An eligible artiste for the purpose of these nominations is defined as:

1. A person who was either born in Guyana; or attain naturalization status and or;
2. A person who has lived in Guyana for the full eligibility period (January 1, 2004 to December 30, 2007)

The Nominations Panel comprises individuals with good standing, demonstrated expertise and knowledge of the overall industry or individual categories. The panel will forward their top five (5) suggestions in each category to the Executive Committee which will then select the top three (3) in every category to present to the public.

Artiste may be eligible for any number of general categories. Where there are fewer than the minimum required amount of eligible entries the panel may use deliberate judgement, including making the entry automatically eligible in the same category for the following year.

Once again Guyana will be making its mark in the international arena by rewarding artistic excellence in the music industry through a premier event comparable to international Award shows such as the Grammy’s and the one produced by BET.

Indeed, the line up of fantastic performances will represent a climax for the local entertainment diehards and at the same time promote and represent a hype for the local music industry. Guyanese are asked to prepare themselves for an event which can only be billed as an excellent experience – from red carpet entrances to outstanding local and regional performances from a mind blowing awards ceremony to international celebrity endorsements.

The music industry is at a critical crossroad and deserves every effort to highlight its achievements, motivate its artistes, elevate standards, encourage artistic excellence and utilize talents that may be inclined to engage in negative endeavours.

(Email: [email protected] )

Here is the complete list of categories for Accolade Awards 2008

1. Chutney artiste of the year (Male)

2. Chutney artiste of the year (Female)

3. Best Chutney Band of the year

4. Best Chutney Album of the year

5. Best groovy soca single (Male)

6. Best groovy soca single (Female)

7. Soca single of the year

8. Best soca album solo duo or group

9. Best reggae single

10. Best soca compilation

11. Best non soca compilation

12. Reggae artiste of the year

13. Best rock alternative artiste or band

14. Best jazz album

15. Gospel artiste of the year (Male)

16. Gospel artiste of the year (Female)

17. Gospel single of the year

18. Best RnB artiste of the year

19. Best Calypso artiste of the year (Male)

20. Best Calypso Artiste of the year (Female)

21. Best Hip Hop/Rap artiste of the year

22. Living legends award

23. Cornerstone award

24. Band of the year

25. Producer of the year

26. Media award print/internet

27. Media Award- radio/television

28. Best new artiste

29. Best music video

30. Song of the year

31. Studio of the year

32. Album of the year

33. Entertainer of the year

34. Lifetime achievement award

35. Best Dancehall artiste of the year

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Sonia Noel & Sanola Forte Represent at St. Vincent Show

Fashion lovers in St. Vincent were surely able to whet their appetites and then full their stomachs with as much fashion as they wanted when Mije Modeling & Advertising Agency held its 3rd Annual Carnival Catwalk last Sunday evening. Set in the historic Pirate’s Cave in Lowman’s Bay, the show got off to an exciting start with the Mije models paying tribute to the veterans in the Caribbean Fashion Industry.

Shonta Noel, an 11 year old designer from Barbados started the collections rolling with her label La Cyanne and presented a line of chic, sexy silk and chiffon dresses that with body flattering cuts. Mije Models themselves put together a line of clothing which was cleverly constructed and dominated with organic accessories like coconut leaves and shells and was a major hit with the patrons. Many persons from the sold out audience enjoyed the collection of newcomer Jeremy Payne who dabbled in many fabrics and styles to come up with his offering.

And then there was the revolution, 3rd Revolt of Barbados presented a t-shirt line which ranged from dresses to sleeveless vests to long sleeved dressy T’s. A designer to watch in the future is Lisa Cordice, she offered a well coordinated line of clothing made mostly of satins accessorized with lace. Her collection featured casual, elegantly casual and formal pieces that seemed to be very well constructed. The heat then rose to another level as Fetish Swimwear by Cassandra Mottley of Barbados hit the stage. Models strut their stuff in sexy one piece swimsuits, tankinis and bikinis studded and accessorised with colorful wraps.

With Fetish Swimwear leaving the end of the first half of the show so heated, celebrated Designer Debbie Barbour presented her 2008 Wedding Collection. She showcased elegant wedding ensembles fused with Caribbean colors and the cool, calm nature of the islands. The female patrons then had a treat as Sharon Tanner of EC Harbour showcased her collection. The St. Lucian label featured sexy men shirts made of linens and cottons to outfit the metro-sexual man who was sure of his masculinity. Tanner also presented a female line of clothing ranging from casual pieces to evening gowns.

Guyanese Designer Sanola Forte made a definite splash on the runway with her Bumble Bee Collection. Glitzy pieces dominated her line and sexy cuts were the highlight of her line. Fetish Boutique and J& E Boutique also took to the Carnival Catwalk stage and both of them showcased clothing that was available in their respective stores.

Veteran Designer Sonia Noel closed the show with her 2009 Spring/ Summer Collection. Entitled “Animal Unleashed,” Noel brought the house down from beginning to end. The well styled collection started with guest model from Barbados Raymond Ward wearing a leopard-skin swim trunk and carrying a duffle bag and ended with Mije Senior Model Karlene wearing a close fitting evening dress. Noel convinced that 12 years in the business was well worth it.

Guest Acts were by Bomani who was thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and by the Arabesque Dancers who danced to a medley of Carnival Hits.

Executive Producer Jean Johhny-Findlay and Production Director Kofi Branch (The Design Factor) of Barbados were both pleased with the event and expressed their excitement for Carnival Catwalk 4 to be held in 2009.

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Our Recent Problems

Hey Addicts,

We apologize for the recent two days of downtime and the slow site. It was unavoidable and we did our best. Let me explain what happened.

The server that GuyanaLive was previously hosted on had a major hiccup. The power supply had a fault and it blew and caused a bit of damage. The drive was not damaged and was placed as a secondary drive in another server and the files and databases were then copied. I’m sorry but we just couldn’t run to Digicom or Starr Computers for a $6,000 (+VAT) power supply and plug it in. Reasons? It would not physically fit and the power supply is for a server not even located in Guyana.

(Yes Digicom and Starr Computers, you’re welcome for the big up.)

Another reason why it took so much time is because the DNS (domain name system) had to propagate.  Long story short.  GuyanaLive.com was pointing to ‘server a’ and it takes a while for all ISP (internet service providers) to get the updated records to direct users to ‘server b’.

The second server (the one we’re currently hosted on) just isn’t capable of handling the load it previously had and the additional. Therefore the execution times have increased causing a delay of page load and timeouts.

A backup PSU (power supply unit) is scheduled to be delivered to the data center today.  It would replace the first and we’ll see if any further damage was done. If so another R900 server would be ordered.

The gallery database has been marked as corrupt but I’ll get over that one like everything else. By the way, we have 4 events to publish. Its all uploaded and waiting on the gallery to be fixed.

We received many calls, emails and IMs concerning the recent downtime. I never had a chance for a full explanation so here it is.

So what do you think? Feel free to reply here shoot us an email at team at guyanalive.com

– Rowen