Toronto’s music and arts community came together for a little peace, love, and understanding last Saturday at Nathan Phillips Square. The One Big No festival and concert, organized by Artists Against the War (AAW) and The Coalition to Stop the War, drew about 3000 people throughout the day to take in performances by some of Canada’s best artists, including Cowboy Junkies, King Cobb Steelie, and Lowest of the Low.
The CBC’s Jian Ghomeshi introduced 20 artists over five hours, kicking things off in the early spring sunshine right through until bitter cold set in, forcing the crowd to dance around to stay warm. The event was the first large-scale coming together of the Toronto music community since singer Molly Johnson’s annual Kumbaya AIDS benefit concerts in the 1990s. Some of the older folk in the crowd could be forgiven for flashing back to the 60s, what with the renditions of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” (Sarah Slean), John Lennon’s “Imagine” (Danny Michel), and The Who’s “My Generation” (Andy Stochansky).
Highlights included sassy DJ Zahra, spinning bhangra and old Bollywood hits and teaching the shivering audience Indian dance steps until the square was one big pulsating mass of bodies, hands waving in the air. Local favourite Sarah Harmer, not seen on local stages in nearly a year while recording her new album, was welcomed back warmly as she played a brand-new number titled “Dandelions and Bulletholes”, and Toronto ex-pats Chris Brown and Kate Fenner’s stirring “Resist War”. Harmer also played a special intimate benefit concert in support of Iraqi children the following night at Hugh’s Room.
A loose coalition of artists, including some of the city’s top theatrical, musical, and writing talents, AAW had been meeting weekly since prior to the attack on Iraq to discuss the situation and their response to it. The ensuing One Big No festival, featuring daytime events for families and the big evening concert, was put together remarkably quickly, with artists signing on as soon as they were asked.
Singer-songwriter Danny Michel, who delighted the crowd with his take on Peter Gabriel’s “Jeux Sans Frontiers”, says he jumped at the chance to be part of the event.
“I got a call from Jian Ghomeshi—I guess he was rallying the troops, er, the peace troops,” Michel quipped. “I think artists are typically pretty peaceful people. Deep in our psyche, we have chosen to create, instead of compete or attack or conquer, or something like that. It’s an age-old thing – in the days of Vietnam, all the artists came out and protested.”
In response to those who point out that the current conflict seems to be nearing an end, so protesting for peace is redundant, Michel says speaking up has no expiry date.
“I think what we are told about war and what happens in a war are two very different things,” Michel noted. “I always think there’s always another way—whether it be a war or a fight in a parking lot, there’s always another way out than to fight. I’m not sure if I know what the answer is myself, but I do feel that if musicians are in any way role models to younger people, that if I can be a part of influencing someone to think, ‘Hey, maybe war is a stupid thing’, then maybe those people will change and be the ones who come up with an answer.”
Several speakers took to the stage at the event to express their thoughts about the war, including federal NDP leader Jack Layton and activist Abdur-Rahim Malik. Festival organizer Shawn Whitney, a local playwright, took aim at U.S. President George W. Bush and his claim of liberating the Iraqi people.
“This man with no democratic legitimacy is waging war on Iraq,” Whitney declared. “We have to stand in peace or we will all fall in war and bloodshed. This is the beginning of liberation, friends, not the U.S. Armed Forces.”
The cost of putting on the show, from renting the space to hiring the sound crew, was borne mostly by the artists themselves, who put it on their credit cards, and by main sponsor NOW Magazine, putting their money where their mouths are. To help offset some of those costs, a raffle and silent auction was held at the event, and a special limited edition One Big No CD was sold, featuring several of the concert performers, plus a few who could not make it but wanted to participate in some way.
Toronto singer-songwriter Emm Gryner was on tour in the U.S. at the time of the concert, but was happy to offer up a song for the album.
“Songwriters, singer, and musicians have a way of articulating what the opinions of the people are, and right now, democracy and freedom of speech are under fire—they are being threatened daily by government and media,” she said. “I think the concert is a good way for other opinions about the U.S. invasion of Iraq to be brought to light. I wanted to be on the CD because I felt it was my small way of contributing to the cause.”
AAW organizer Whitney stressed that even though the war may be ending, the time for artists to speak out for peace is only beginning. The group continues to meet weekly on Mondays at 7 p.m. at Friends House, 60 Lowther Ave., and several smaller events are planned, including a Kingston version of the One Big No concert on April 27.
Photographs by Simon Turnbull.
