FESTIVAL DIRECTOR:

As a promoter for the last ten years, I have been showcasing the most talented musicians in Sydney of the music I am most passionate about: jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, reggae, afro Cuban, Latin and everything in between. My intention with this festival, is to create a playground of beautiful sound to celebrate the human spirit that lives beyond the pain of one that suffers from a mental illness. This is a chance for our community to open up the dialogue for 3 days and acknowledge the mental health issues that trouble our community. I have been personally affected with friends and family suffering from various metal illnesses, and endeavour as a promoter, to use music as a healing elixir for our community and its many facets of survival.

Speak and we shall rise... Dance and we shall love... Sing and we shall celebrate!

Fani Elisara

ABOUT SPIRIT OF SOUL FESTIVAL

The Spirit of Soul Festival is a comprehensive ‘live’ soul music festival. Alongside the expression of music, we also use this opportunity to creatively advocate mental health issues that exist in today's society.
We celebrated our first, of what is an annual event, on the 29th-30th of January, 2008 at
The Factory Theatre-www.factorytheatre.com.au
24 bands and 7 dj’s were invited to perform
which included:

Meta Bass N Breath- www.myspace.com/metabassnbreath
CODA- www.myspace.com/codaplanet
Foreign Heights- www.myspace.com/foreignheights
Mr Percival- www.myspace.com/mrpercival
Declan Kelly & The Rising Sun- www.myspace.com/declankelly
Vassy- www.myspace.com/vassymyaffection
D-Vinyl- www.myspace.com/kingd_vinyl
King Tide- www.myspace.com/kingtidesydney
Sista She- www.myspace.com/sistashe
Mi Tierra- www.mitierra.com.au
Stiff Gins
Darryl Beaton feat Martinez- www.myspace.com/darrylbeaton
Parley- www.myspace.com/parleylovesmusic
Billie McCarthy- www.myspace.com/billiemccarthy
The Bamboos- www.myspace.com/thebamboos
Jackie Orszaczky & Tina Harrod- www.orszaczky.com
Resurrectors- www.myspace.com/resurrectorstheband
The Hands- www.myspace.com/thehands
The Hipstones- www.myspace.com/thehipstones
Virna Sanzone- www.myspace.com/virnasanzone
Alamode- www.myspace.com/alamodegroup
Daniel Mifsud- www.myspace.com/danielmifsud
Vanessa Wagner- www.vanessawagner.com.au
Dj’s Mickey Morphingaz- www.myspace.com/morphinaz3
Trevor Parkee aka Elchino- www.2ser.com/programs/shows/departurelounge
Josie Styles- www.myspace.com/josiestyles
Charlie- www.myspace.com/chachas_salon
Hamo- www.myspace.com/hamophresh
Adam
Benny B

SPIRIT OF SOUL FESTIVAL 2008 VIDEOS

PHOTOS FROM 2008

We helped raise awareness and money for various mental health organizations by intergrating other events during the festival.
These events included a ‘Mini Funked Up Film Festival’ @Madame Fling Flong’s in Newtown, ‘ReSouled’ Vinyl Auction Fundraiser @Newtown RSL, ‘Bowl for Soul’ fundraiser @Marrickville Bowling Club and ‘What Touched My SOUL?’ photography exhibition at Mad Gallery in Enmore.

These wonderful organizations we collaborated with
during the festival included:

Schizophrenia Fellowship- http://www.sfnsw.org.au/
Carer Assist- http://www.sfnsw.org.au/carers/csu.htm
Newtown Neighbourhood Centre- www.newtowncentre.org/
Roomies- http://www.addisonrdcentre.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=72&Itemid=132
Black Dog Institute- www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
Beyond Blue- www.beyondblue.org.au
Mental Health Association NSW Inc- http://www.mentalhealth.asn.au/home.htm

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO MADE 2008 POSSIBLE....

WORKING COMMITTEE:
Adam Cox/Anthea White/Justine Evans/Hamo Tevita/Andreia V Da Cruz/Kelly McMahon/Laura Smith/Amanda Bennie/Asti May

SPONSORS FOR S.O.S FESTIVAL 2008
Channel V/MAX Channel/3D World/Drum Media/2SER/FBI 94.5fm/ACP/LOOP/
Don’t Panic/Sydney Poster Pty Ltd/Billy Hyde Drum Clinic/ACP/Pastizzi Cafe/Reimer Winter Williamson Lawyers

CONTRIBUTORS FOR S.O.S FESTIVAL 2008
Newtown RSL/ Reverse Garbage/MAD Gallery/Soni’s/Madame Fling Flong/Buzzzbar/ Holy Sheet/Lucky Beer/Hardware Gallery/Woolworths/Coles/Franklins/The Italian Bowl/Bakers Delight

BIG THANKS to:
Sa, Sharmaine, Jenny,Luke, Nikki, Ron, Radhika, Russell, George, Karen, Kyah, Nick, Ruby, Melissa,Tanti, Micah, Trevor and Greg
And a VERY special thanks to Anthea White and Shelly Cox! (You know why ladies...x)

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: TECHA from ZEDS
WEBSITE: Doug Aplin
PHOTOGRAPHER: Hamish Tame

We are happy to announce that we are now planning our next Spirit of Soul Festival for MAY 29th and 30th 2009.
Keep an eye on our website for further updates!!
Also check out www.myspace.com/spiritofsoulfestival

All enquiries for SOS 2009, please email info@spiritofsoul.com.au

Thank you and see you in 2009!!

Fani Elisara- Festival Director