ARUNA ANTONELLA HANDA

Weaving the political with the personal in original songs about addiction, elephants, procrastination, racism, and crickets, the band Aruna Antonella Handa loves to set vocals against a bass and drums scaffold. This sparse setting allows for collaboration with other vocalists and instrumentalists, both on stage and in the recording studio. The songs are written by lead singer Aruna Antonella Handa and the band on the upcoming album, “Of Bones and Addicts” includes Michael Broadhead (bass), Alejandra Ballon and Caitlin Holland (vocals), and Raphael Roter (drums). Guest musicians on the record include Roa Lee (gayageum), Tzevi Sherman (lap steel guitar), Lindsay McDonald and Olivia Blumenthal (vocals), Doug Tielli (vocals, trombone, guitar) Dave Eggar (cello) and Phil Faconti (guitar).

The band's first single,"Have You Seen My Sister?", a response to the global surge in gender-based violence, earned a Single of the Year nomination for Aruna and the Sirens at the Canadian Folk Music Awards (2024). The country ballad “City Hotel", released in the fall of 2024, documents the surge in racist attacks in Ontario, following Trump's first presidential victory. Under the current and a former name (Alluvial Plain), Aruna and the band have played festivals (Canadian Music Week, Open Tuning, Jazz Appreciation Month) and the Toronto club scene (including Monarch Tavern, Burdock Hall, Tranzac).

RECORDINGS

HAVE YOU SEEN MY SISTER?
(released February 2023. Nominated Single of the Year 2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards)
Bandcamp Soundcloud

CITY HOTEL
(released October 2024)
Bandcamp Soundcloud

UPCOMING GIG(S)

Please stay tuned!

Saturday Nov 21/26 Heliconian Hall “Of Bones and Addicts” album launch party. Doors 8:30pm
Featuring: Raphael Roter (drums), Caitlin Holland (vocals), Michael Broadhead (upright bass), Roa Lee (gayageum), and introducing Dalila Bejar-Ali (vocals). TIX go on sale this week. Concert starts shortly after 9pm.

Saturday Nov 28/26 “Food Noise” a Dinner by Culture of Cities Studio, Toronto. Handa and Broadhead
Details forthcoming.

Friday December 4/26 Oscar Evans Presents: Handa and Broadhead with guest Oscar Evans on trumpet. Musiikki Bar, Kingston, Ontario. 8pm - 11pm. Details forthcoming.

NOTE RE SOCIALS AND MUSIC PLATFORMS
In light of evidence of deliberate ill-will toward the users of social media platforms on the part of their owners and executives, and due to increasing amounts of AI slop on music platforms, and AI plagiarism, we have taken the difficult step of eliminating our accounts on most for-profit social media platforms, and currently we are weighing our options with respect to music platforms, and will update this page soon. Thank you for your understanding.

STUFF
We have a few objects available for sale including high quality posters of the Sisters painting by Victor Klassen, hair bands crocheted by our wisest fan, Mrs Helen Reycraft, now in her mid-90s, and some surprises. We’re working on the shop. Please check back soon.

photo credits: Monarch Tavern Cher Knightingale; Aki Studio audience member; National Ballet School Mustafa Unsal; Canadian Music Week audience member; Helliconian Hall Famzy Marvellous. Candid backstage shots: band members.