This year’s frosh concert will proudly feature hot local artists
Students at George Brown College (GBC) will be kicking off the school year with a free GBC Fest concert headlined by Alessia Cara, whose hit-song “Here” burned up the charts worldwide last year.
“‘Here’ is a true story,” confesses Cara. “It’s a party song, but really it’s the complete opposite of a party song. It’s absolutely me; it shouts out the person in the corner of the party, looking around uncomfortably. I feel like this song narrates what the wallflower is thinking.”
“Alessia Cara has a really good message,” said Neil Cumberbatch, the SA’s senior coordinator of events and marketing. “No knock on any other artists in the industry, but Alessia really focuses on having a positive image and being a role model to young women.”
The SA publishes The Dialog student newspaper.
The fact that Cara hails from Brampton is a deliberate switch from past years that have featured international artists such as Future, Bunji Garlin and Ace Hood.
“I love Toronto, I’m sure a lot of people who go to George Brown love Toronto, and there’s a lot of great talent in Toronto,” said Brittney DaCosta, the Student Association’s (SA) director of campus life. “We shouldn’t have to outsource when we have talent locally.”
In fact, it’s an all-Canadian line-up at GBC Fest this year which will include performances by Boi-1da, best known for his production of top-rated hip-hop artists such as Drake, Jay-Z and Talib Kweli.
Also playing is Craig Stickland, a Canadian singer-songwriter, who is performing with Cara on the Know It All Tour. His debut EP “Leave me to the Wild” is a collection of poetic songs that will have you both thinking introspectively while tapping your feet.
DJ Lissa Monet is a Toronto-based DJ who has been a six-time Stylus DJ Award Recipient for Female DJ of the Year, Mixtape of the Year and Toronto DJ of the Year.
GBC Fest will be hosted by YouTube comedy sensation Marlon Palmer, better known as ‘That Dude Mcfly’, whose breakout video “Shit Toronto People Say” has been viewed 1.3 million times.
GBC Fest will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre and tickets will be free for GBC students who can pick them up at an SA office starting on Sept. 6. Tickets for guests are $15 and are limited to one per student.
