Nelly Performing at the Urban Aids Concert - [Enlarge Pic]

By Chris Santos
Urban AIDS Concert
Ricoh Coliseum
Toronto, ON
29th Nov 04

The Urban AIDS Concert took place Monday night at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto. Alicia Keys headlined the show that brought together some of the top names in the Canadian urban music scene, with proceeds going to the Stephen
Lewis Foundation and Keep a Child Alive.

Nelly Furtado appeared at the end of the Swollen Members set, and joined the group for ‘Breath.’ This was the first time they performed the song together in front of a live audience.

The Swollen Members then left the stage for Nelly to perform an acoustic, slower version of ‘Powerless (Say What You Want).’ Her voice was in top shape, belting out the final notes with so much power and soul - it reminded me of her performance at the VH1 Divas Live in New York. She was joined by former Philiosopher King James McCollum on guitar. She was also joined by Jully Black, a local R&B/hip hop artist.

Other performers throughout the night included Keshia Chante, k-os, and Melanie Durrant. Guest speakers included the United Nations’ special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa - Stephen Lewis, Olympic hurdler Perdita Felicien, singer Molly Johnson, Canadian Idol judge Farley Flex and Grey Cup Champions Mike ‘Pinball’ Clemons and Damon Allen of the Toronto Argonauts.

Nelly has had a good track record of helping out with the AIDS crisis. In 2001, she joined Alicia Keys and a host of other top performers of Artists Against AIDS Worldwide in the remake of Marvin Gaye’s 1974 classic, ‘What’s Going On.’ In 2002, she was originally scheduled to perform at the South African AIDS benefit concert, which was unfortunately cancelled due to production complications.

Organisers of the Urban AIDS concert ran into no such problems and hope to make the show an annual event - leading up to the International AIDS Conference in August 2006 which will be hosted in Toronto.

It’s inspiring when artists with political and humanitarian awareness can take the time to help make a difference. Together, they can raise much needed awareness and political pressure for AIDS and HIV-related issues in Africa and around the world.

Concert Pictures - [Click to Enlarge]

[urban_aids_concert] - NEED TO FIND

Credit: Chris Santos (SOTR Webmaster) - More Pics here