Super performance by Annesley Malawana and the Super Chimes at the Lions Club spectacular – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE
It’s been many decades since the Super Golden Chimes dominated the Sri Lanka music scene with folk and Pop music that has traversed the generations.
The ultimate at the time for traditional favourites, that music has lived on thanks to one of its original members, Annesley Malawana, who continues to keep these Golden memories alive.
Annesley and his own set up, the Super Chimes, came, saw, and conquered Australia with their breathtaking reproductions of that famous band from way back when, and are about to depart after sell out performances around Australia.
I had a brief chat with one of Sri Lanka’s icons and he assured me that the hunger to go on has not waned in the least. Not mainly because of the infectious clamour and following they get.
So, admittedly not being the biggest fan of Sri Lankan folk music but a big fan of the affable Annesley and the originals of the Super Golden Chimes such as Rukshan Perera, Dixon and Chandral Fonseka, we ventured to the second Melbourne performance at the invitation of Malik and wife Mitzy Zaveer of the Lion’s Club of Lyndhurst District. Anne and I left in awe of their fantastic talent.
All that wonderful entertainment was brought about by the Lion’s Club of Lyndhurst and District spearheaded by Shama Fernando and the Lion’s Club Dandenong Supper headed by Brian Jayamaha. Proceeds from the event will be projected to a worthy charity in Melbourne.
To make it even more pleasing was that the band broke from the stereotype and opened the night with Western covers that would compare with the best.
The dinner dance at the Hungarian Community centre in Boronia was a sellout and the enthusiastic crowd had a wonderful night of superb music and some great food complemented with a raffle that delivered great prizes.
Annesley and the Super Chimes rolled back the clock with most of the best Super Golden Chimes hits with the vocals and back up not far from the originals.
Adding spice to the night was the performance of endearing nightingale of Sri Lankan music, Indrani Perera who created emotional nostalgia. The crowd just stood on the dance floor, reminisced, sang along, and applauded a Sri Lankan national iconic treasure in music.
For us, and our personal enjoyment, was Annesley Malawana in fine form singing English favourites from an era when we sang along at parties, Ricky Nelson’s ‘I need you’ and Don Williams ‘ My best friend’, which gave us and most of the crowd immense personal pleasure.
Annesley Malawana was rapt at the response he and his band received at the hectic schedule which began in Melbourne, to Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and back to Melbourne. They have one more assignment at Rajiv Sebastian’s concert before heading back to Sri Lanka for a well deserved break.
Annesley did admit to me it was a challenging tour.
They will always be a draw card in Australia judging by that memorable performance.
Generation by trevine rodrigo
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