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More Like “Tragic Kingdom” for Caribbean Torontonians: Caribbean festival called off.

Am I right?

If you hadn’t heard, the City of Vaughan–part of the Greater Toronto Area’s suburban sprawl–was supposed to play host to a Caribana offshoot called Carnival Kingdom (no affiliation with the much more famous parade downtown, although it had been running successfully over the past seven years).

As many as 10,000 people were expected to converge in the parking lot of the Improve Canada outdoor entertainment complex next to Highway 407 and not many houses within earshot. Just before “fete”ers were to be let in, however, the event was abruptly called off by the city. The CBC reports on everything here.

Their Twitter account tried to give a half-assed attempt at an explanation but I’m sorry, it reeks of fishiness.

You would think a well-functioning city hall would have addressed any potential permit issues well in advance of a long weekend, knowing there would be a lot of pissed-off patrons, but I guess there some double-overtime-and-a-half clerks really wanted to collect. If nothing else, the soca-goers who came to Vaughan to have a good time deserve a better explanation than the one that was given. They’re not all like this couple:

The self-proclaimed “City Above Toronto” doesn’t have the best reputation lately when it comes to live music. I’ve always said as a resident that Vaughan city councillors literally see themselves as rockstars; take the case of one Matt Groopie. He’s the guy you may recall who got in trouble for simply for using the words “Ward 5” in the title of his Richmond Hill-based open mic night. Apparently local representative Karen Cilevitz doesn’t believe anyone but she has a right to it, to the point where she is now suing Mr. Groopie for A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. He’s had to resort to starting a GoFundMe legal defense fund. Very weird, I know.

Here’s the full story.

And if you’ve seen this recent report about how musicians only receive 12% of the revenue their chosen industry generates, you know he doesn’t have that kind of money. A good chunk of that change still goes to middlepeople such as A&R types and Spotify instead of y’know, the artists who actually make the music we consume. It sure doesn’t go to hardworking bloggers, I can tell you that!

Gilles LeBlanc

Gilles LeBlanc literally fell into “alternative rock” wayyy back at Lollapalooza 1992, where he got caught in his first mosh pit watching some band named Pearl Jam. Since then, he’s spent the better part of his life looking for music to match the liberating rush he felt that day, with a particular chest-beating emphasis on stuff coming out of his native Canada. It took him awhile, but Gilles now writes feverishly about all things that rock (and or roll) through his ROCKthusiast alter ego.

Gilles LeBlanc has 104 posts and counting. See all posts by Gilles LeBlanc

4 thoughts on “More Like “Tragic Kingdom” for Caribbean Torontonians: Caribbean festival called off.

  • Hi Giles, I too am a resident of Vaughan. My house was also one of many in my area (Clark & Yonge) whose windows shook with the base from that Friday night concert – 5 km away – till 3 am. I have written my local councilor asking how they could issue a permit for an event until 3 am – well past last call. It is unfortunate that the Sat. concert was called off, but the noise complaints were not imaginary.

    Reply
  • You’re honestly a huge loser if you thought it was a good idea to write a councillor because a concert was happening a few km away.

    Reply

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