Music Makers Presents: All Saints ‘After Dark’ featuring Ahmed Moneka & his 5-piece band — Thursday, November 5th — Music begins at 7pm
Tickets - $10-30 Sliding Scale (cash only at the door)
All Ages & Accessible w/ Cookies and tea generously donated by The Woodshed
On November 5th, join Ahmed Moneka and his 5-piece band for a joyful evening of African grooves and Arabic folk melodies, shaped by contemporary funk, soul and jazz.
Drawing on his Afro-Sufi heritage, Juno-nominated Ahmed Moneka creates music that feels like a celebration of life. Born in Baghdad to an Afro-Iraqi family, Ahmed arrived in Toronto as a refugee after appearing in a film about gay rights. As an actor and activist turned musician, he now leads an all-star global ensemble and has performed across Canada and the U.S., as well as in Colombia, Chile, Morocco and South Korea.
His album Kanzafula was nominated for the 2025 Juno Award for Global Music Album of the Year, the first Iraqi-Canadian record to be nominated for a Juno. He has also won a Dora Award and the Stingray Rising Star Award in Toronto. On stage and screen, Ahmed co-wrote King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild, which earned five Dora nominations, and he has worked with the Canadian Opera Company, Soulpepper, Crow’s Theatre and the National Arts Centre. He's currently working with The Tragically Hip on the 2026 production of It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken, a musical built on the band's catalogue of Canadian classics.
Here are some links to Ahmed's website and Bandcamp if you want to get a head start!
http://www.ahmedmoneka.com
https://ahmedmoneka.bandcamp.com/
Music Makers is proud to curate performances that celebrate artistry, collaboration, and community. This concert reflects that spirit: music created not just to entertain, but to connect people through shared atmosphere and presence. Whether you come to dance, to be uplifted, or simply to be swept up in the sound, this evening offers space to gather and enjoy something meaningful.
Join us on November 5th at 7pm at All Saints ‘After Dark’ for a rare chance to hear Ahmed Moneka and his band in an intimate setting on Salt Spring Island. This show is all ages and accessible. Come as you are, settle in, and let the music carry you into the night.
Please email musicmakersssi@gmail.com with any questions about the show.