07 February,2017 11:06 AM IST | | Shraddha Uchil
Ahead of Valentine's Day, spend your evening at an event that celebrates all kinds of love laced with music, poetry and wine
Arun Kale, Nush Lewis, Jason Arland, Ranjit Arapurakal
(Above, below) Scenes from the first edition of Live! at the Library, held in December
The season of love has descended upon us. To welcome Valentine's Day in a non-cheesy fashion, head to the second edition of Live! at the Library, which celebrates love in all its forms.
The initiative is a collaboration between Ministry Of New and Helter Skelter magazine to showcase the independent arts scene in India through a series of events. The upcoming edition is titled Love is Love. "We tend to think of love in just the romantic sense of the word. But it exists in so many other forms. You can love your friends, your pets, and your art. That's what we're celebrating here," says Arun Kale, editor, Helter Skelter.
Arun Kale. Pic courtesy/ Sharon Irani
The first edition, which took place last month, saw performances by Pune-based singer-songwriter and producer Gowri Jayakumar; poet and spoken word artistes SpokenThiiird and Anu Elizabeth Roche, and writer Mahithi Pillay.
Nush Lewis. Pic courtesy/ Prashin Jagger
This time around, a new set of artistes will take centre stage. Harpist-singer-songwriter Nush Lewis will play a stripped down acoustic set with two accompanying vocalists. Musician Ranjit Arapurakal, whose original lyrics and compositions pull influence from Blues, Punk, Reggae, Jazz, Rock, Funk, and Soul Music, will also perform at the event. The third performer for the evening, Jason Arland, is a 21-year-old prodigy and a celebrity make-up artiste and fashion influencer.
Jason Arland
"Arland is someone to look forward to. He has a special set planned, about his experiences of love and life. You can expect a lot of spoken word interspersed with music," says Kale. There will also be an open mic session, with the best poets winning prizes.
Ranjit Arapurakal. Pic courtesy/ Michel Rochette
Future Live! at the Library events will feature dance, literature, along with interviews, workshops, and panel discussions with creative individuals from across the country, in addition to poetry and music.
"Ministry of New had originally approached us to collaborate on an event related to poetry. That's when we thought about expanding it to a series of intimate events," says Kale. "The independent scene in India, whether music, poetry or dance, tends to be very insular. This is our attempt to get audiences to experience new things."
The entry fee allows you to bring along a plus one for free, and will also get you a glass of wine.
