LIMERICK'S COFFEE AND CREAM TAKE THE BISCUIT

By MARIÉAD NI CHAOIMH

A NEWLY formed band, composed of asylum-seekers and local musicians, will perform their debut gig at a city theatre on August 25.

Coffee and Cream, made up of singers and musicians from Limerick, Burundi, Somalia and Jamaica, to name but a few, launched their brand new series of gigs this week at Impact Theatre. Band member and guitarist Damo Carroll of Ballynanty said: "The whole thing opened my eyes. I mean you have no idea what sort of talent is around you in this city from all over the world, and right here on your doorstep. I'm glad Impact started it because it would never have occurred to me to go knocking on these guy's doors and asking them to jam." Impact member Darren Maher said Coffee and Cream were already "creating quite a stir" and were "mixing" very well. The band is a collaboration between Doras Luimni, Limerick's refugee support group and Impact Theatre, an independent theatre company based in a studio in The Crescent, O'Connell Avenue. Diana Storm, a professional singer from Jamaica has recently been granted asylum in Limerick, and she is the lead singer of Coffee and Cream.

"The music is like one big melting pot. There is a bit of Jamaican, a bit of Irish, a bit of everything in there", she said. She is looking forward to the first gig. "When I am on stage my alter ego will take over-which is provocative, risk taking and fearless one, "said the jazz and blues singer songwriter. Also in the band are Mohamed Husein Abdi, a Somalian singer and asylum seeker who lives in Clyde House: Tariq Samad from Burundi, a bongo player: Bebe Menga who plays the drums: Aland Assiri, a Kurdistan violinist and Joe McGowan, a trombone player. As part of the world music series of gigs Impact Theatre are also promoting fair trade products. At the launch on Monday two fair trade groups exhibited information on the topic, and offered samples of fair trade coffee and chocolate. Dolores O'Meara from Limerick Fair Trade City Project Group said that she is currently awaiting word back from Fair Trade Ireland on whether Limerick will be granted status as a fair trade city. She is expecting news in November. Already eight catering outlets and 15 retail outlets in the city are stocking fair trade products. "We are hopeful we will get the fair trade status. And we encourage people to continue asking in shops and cafes for fair trade products," she said. Micheal O'Loinsigh, a student from the organic farming college in Dromcollogher, Co. Limerick and his fair trade group Pachamana were also at the launch. The gigs take place in Impact Theatre on August 25th, September 1^st and September 3^rd. Ticket cost €10.