Songshine space for emerging talent returns

Songshine – the open mic series founded by artiste Gillian Moor – returns on June 2. New band Seabath will make its debut at the opening.

Journalist and poet Sterling Henderson will also read poetry from his EP at Kafe Blue venue, (formerly Kaiso Blues Café), Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

Seabath members are Amy-Li Baksh on vocals, Aaron Lowchewtung on bass, Dexter Banfield on percussion and Damir Shorab Ali on guitar.

A release said Songshine was founded in 2005 as a platform for writers and performers, but was closed in 2020 because of the covid19 pandemic.

In a phone interview Moor said the recent relaxation of covid19 restrictions allows for live shows again and the event’s audience had been calling for its return.

She said Kafe Blue has emerged as “a wonderfully warm venue for live performance.” Moor said her team worked with Kafe Blue in the past and owners Carl and Carol Jacobs have been advocating for live performance.

“They are so supportive, and it is always a good time there. So I think it fits really well with Songshine, whose natural community is always a very supportive community of the arts. They never know what the next performer is going to do, whether it is hard rock, gay poetry, steelpan, Indian dance, anything. But they still sit and take it in,” she said.

Although Moor is open to hosting the event more often and at other venues, because her team is small, having it monthly works for now. Songshine will be held on the first Thursday of each month at Kafe Blue.

Moor said she has a couple of performances in mind for the next months and is always looking at the landscape.

“A band like Seabath, they are new...as a band, but I was exposed to the lead singer and the guitarist playing at a previous Songshine. I saw the full band a few weeks ago and I just really felt strongly that I wanted to give them that bigger spotlight.”

Moor said while the team has always been lucky to have incredible veterans participate in the show, she wants to shine the spotlight on new and emerging talent.
Songshine is a collective effort, she said, made up of the audience, the performers, their presence and vibe.

She thanked the audiences and performers who continue to “breathe life into the series.” She also issued an invite to anyone who feels they have something to express.