The Soulist “Friends Across Borders”(FAB) 3-day Music Festival, Review

By Roland Eyerich ….

There were 50 Musicians from both sides of Cyprus following the invitation to celebrate the project “FAB“ – Friends Across Borders, with a 3 day Festival of Music with the Motto/Theme “Music and Cancer have no boundaries“.

FAB “Friends Across Borders” Vol 2, held in North Cyprus, was a big success at the Soulist Coffee and Music House in Alsancak. This was the first time as a 3-day Festival, from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th of September and it will become one of the Events of the Year in North Cyprus. The aim with the two objectives of bringing Friends Across Borders with music together on one stage in North Cyprus and to generate good proceeds for “Tulips – Help Those with Cancer Association” has been reached. What a festival. Musicians/festival visitors donation for TULIPS 12,504TL.

The Soulist had a full house on all 3 days and was in at the “Venue place for live music” The Soulist.  50 Musicians coming together presenting their music on one stage in North Cyprus, coming together for one of the “Bi-Communal Social Projects” for Cyprus. The people coming and enjoying the quality of music in different genres… Rock, Blues, Celtic Rock, Blues/RocknRoll, Reggae, Jazz, Young Stage and Classical. All the musicians were proud to be a part of FAB and in this way they performed in a brilliant and excellent way, and the audience enjoyed. Held like a music contest on 3 days.   Fabulous……

Blind Man’s Tale

Rock Balance

Stingray

Pictures above : l-r  –  Blind Man’s Tale, Rock Balance, Stingray

Starting on Friday 27^th September with Rock Balance, Stingray and Blind Man`s Tale (BMT), followed on Saturday 28th with The Great Flood, Hugh  O`Neill, Blue Tears, Supernova Reggae Band, Alper Cengiz & Friends and on Sunday 29th with  Aris Constantinou Jazz Quartet, Young Stage and the classical part with the “Cyprus Singers“.

The Great Flood

Supernova Reggae Band

Pictures above : l-r  –  The Great Flood and Supernova Reggae Band

There were special moments on Sunday with Aris Constantinou Jazz Quartet, Young Stage with the young Rock trio “Summers Lease“ [all 13 years of age], Solo artists Salime Atalar [16] (piano + voc), Peri Sualp [13] (voc) and Edgar Evoyan [10] (voc) and the finale with classical music from the “Cyprus Singers“ with  Zara Barkhoudarian –  (Soprano and Piano), Rauf Kasimov – Piano, Katie Economidou (Mezzo Soprano) and Iris Langford (Soprano) and Edgar Evoyan.

Incredible and outstanding performances from Aris Constantinou Jazz Quartet, the Young Stage Artists – Summers Lease, Salemi Atalar, and Edgar Evoyan with his Italian classic songs and of course  the Cyprus Singers. All of them that day did their part.

Aris Constantinou Jazz Quartet

Summers Lease – Jan Saygineren [13] and Daniel Ogun [13]

Summers Lease – Jordan Omeroglu [13]

Pictures : above left – Aris Constantinou Jazz Quartet,   centre  and right  : Summers Lease –  l-r Jan Saygineren  [13], Daniel Ogun [13]  and  Jordan Omeroglu [13] 

Edgar Evoyan

Katie Economidou

Salime Atalar

Pictures above :  l-r  Edgar Evoyan, Katie Economidou, Salime Atalar

Finally extraordinary performances for FAB and a great engagement from all the musicians for FAB to make it available, especially Katie Economidou.

For the organiser of this event, Alper Cengiz and Roland Eyerich it was a new experience and adventure with the 2nd FAB held as a 3-day Festival…. But the last day was packed with so many positive  emotions ….. Alper and Roland were filled with emotions from the positive Feedback from musicians and audience. The FAB duo was overwhelmed… both of them at times had tears in their eyes.

FAB now has its place in the Year Event Calender of Cyprus.  Helpful also was the cooperation with RockCyprus from the South side. RockCyprus created the “Friends Across Borders“ website. The 3rd FAB will be coming up in 2020, and will be held on the 25th to 27th of September.

THANKS:

FAB has to say thank you to TULIPS for being a partner in this project.

FAB has to say thank you to the SOULIST team around Adeleh Mozafari with Richard, Davis and Victor and Cornelia Fischer-Eyerich supporting this project

FAB has to say thank you to RockCyprus.Org creating a website for Friends Across Borders. A great project to make cooperation with partners in music from both sides of this Island available.

Thanks to Friends and Places supporting the “Friends Across Borders Project“

–         Fikri Toros (Member of Parliament)
–         Can Gazi “Cup of Conversation“ BRT
–         Almond Holiday Village Lapta
–         Denizkizi Hotel Alsancak

Thanks to Media supporting “Friends Across Borders Project“

–         CyprusScene
–         YeniDuzen
–         Cyprus Mirror
–         Cyprus Observer
–         RheinZeitung (Koblenz/Germany)

Thanks to Social Media supporting “Friends Across Borders Project“

–         Cyprus4Love
–         Frozen Cypriots
–         What`s on Where in North Cyprus
–         KIBRIS TEK YURT HEP BiRLiKTE- ΚΥΠΡΟΣ ΜΙΑ ΠΑΤΡΙΔΑ ΟΛOΙ ΜΑΖΙ
–         Nordzypern Fangruppe

Information :

RockCyprus is an online hub for everyone with their black hearts into rock music in Cyprus. Rock Gods and Goddesses hang out in RockCyprus.org and so should you!

RockCyprus was created with an aim to build a central interaction point for the rock community on the island. Cyprus has a wealth of talent covering all rock genres from black metal to pop rock, from punk to symphonic rock. From haunting melodic vocals to growls spawned in the pits of Hell. We aim to unite rock music enthusiasts and create a central point of communication and a hub of the rock souls in Cyprus.