‘New normal’ taking shape…

Although there has been a significant rise in Covid-19, especially in Colombo, it’s certainly a good sign to see certain venues opening up, in the ‘new normal,’ giving some kind of respite to musicians, entertainers, etc.

Before the second Covid-19 wave hit us, the showbiz scene was gradually brightening up and those involved in this setup found work coming their way.

Unfortunately, everything went into reverse gear and many found themselves in a very bad situation. It was at this point that the Western Musicians’ Association (WMA) stepped in to ease the hardship of those members of the Association who were in dire straits.

However, there seems to be a little bit of improvement, with some of the five-star venues now providing entertainment for their guests.

The group Rock This Country had sufficient work coming their way, and were even approached by a known venue for a 31st night happening…in the ‘new normal’ setup. And, then came the second Covid-19 explosion!

But, the good news is that Viraj Perera Rajanathan and his Rock This Country will be doing the Hilton Colombo lobby scene,  every Friday night. And, that means you could experience Christmas with Rock This Country, on Friday, December 25th, at the Hilton Colombo.

The Colombo Hilton has also brought in the band Flame to light up their lobby scene, on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Another popular outfit, Rajiv & The Clan, are back in action at the Cinnamon Grand lobby, on Friday nights.

They were at the Breeze Bar, entertaining guests, when Covid-19 (the second wave) brought a halt to all forms of entertainment.

In fact, Rajiv mentioned to us that he had quite a few foreign assignments, lined up for 2020, that had to be cancelled, eventually.

On a brighter note, music lovers get the opportunity of seeing a very special duo in action – father and daughter, in the form of Shafi and Jana.

Their versatility, as a duo, is there for you to experience, on Thursdays, at the Cinnamon Grand lobby.

The band Aquarius, with bassist Benjy at the helm, was looking forward to the festive season, with great expectation. And…why not!

In the ‘new normal,’ and for a new outfit, they had sufficient work coming their way, and they were looking at doing, at least three nights per week, or even more.

There were indications that Aquarius was going to be the talk-of-the-town, with Benjy totally focused on doing it differently.

And, doing it differently is what they plan to do, on December 30 and 31, at The Rodeo, in Negombo.

“Yes, we are going to make it an exciting and a happening scene when we usher in 2021 at The Rodeo,” said Benjy, adding that it would all be done, strictly conforming to the guidelines, issued by the health authorities.

So, let’s all keep our fingers crossed and look forward to the New Year 2021…with great expectation – and, of course, taking into consideration that it’s all going to be in the ‘new normal.’