Lads from a warring land, unheard genres and sassy girls from shillong promise to pump up the action at the South Asian Bands Fest beginning today
Lads from a warring land, unheard genres and sassy girls from shillong promise to pump up the action at the South Asian Bands Fest beginning today
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Blood and bassu00a0
The matchless performances of Pakistani bands, which were missed last year, are back with Strings, the lambi race ka ghoda. However, all eyes are set on Kabul Dreams, a three-member rock 'n' roll ensemble that took refuge abroad during the times of war in their country. Now back on Afghani soil, they're taking the voices of their troubled land to spectators world over through electric guitar, bass guitar and drums. Other cross-border favs include Who's Your Daddy (Bhutan), Fa'thu and The Early Birds (Maldives), Emperor (Myanmar), Paranoid Earthling (Sri Lanka), 1974 AD (Nepal) and Nagarbaul & James (Bangladesh).
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India on the rocks
The Indian participation is no less fabulous. Bangalore based guitarist-singer-composer-songwriter-musician Raghu Dixit (yes, he can do all of that) will present a seamless amalgamation of Indian ethnic music and styles from different parts of the world. Vishal Dadlani of famous Bollywood music composer duo Vishal-Shekhar will fly in from Mumbai with his band called Pentagram.u00a0 From down South and far East come Malayali rock band Avial (Trivandrum) and an all-girl gang Afflatus (Shillong).
Other non-Delhi doers include blues-rock specialists Half Step Down and Faridkot, who promise paying "confused pop".u00a0 Sanjeev Bhargava, founder, Seher, who has conceived and designed the show, says, "The closing gig of Shankar Ehsaan and Loy will feature some of their latest hits from Bollywoodu00a0-- a must see for people of all ages. Where else can you see musicians from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan perform with the best Bands from across India?" he reiterates.
We don't doubt the intensity, and it's best the music does the rest of the talking for itself.
South Asian Bands Festival
At: Purana Qila, Mathura Road
When: Till December 13
Time: 6 pm onwards
Todayu00a0
Afflatus
Kabul Dreams
Nagarbaul & James
Raghu Dixit Project
Strings
Saturday, December 12
Half Step Down
Fa'thu and The Early Birds
Paranoid Earthling
Faridkot
Pentagram
Sunday, December 13
Emperor
Who's Your Daddy
1974 AD, Avial
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
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