Skip to content Skip to navigation

Northeast had less of phoren and more of desi in 2010

For a region known for its fascination with rock, 2010 was a bit of a dampener in the Northeast because of the absence of performances of international bands worth reckoning; a major reason being the lack of viable venues and the closing down of some of the previous ones. But despite it all, the music calendar of the region was packed to the brim this year, marked by the emergence of a lot of new local talents thanks to the fast emerging pub rock scene. Another interesting development that could be witnessed here was the re-emergence of folk or experimental music as a preferred choice of music fans here.


Talking about experimental music, the ICCR-sponsored performance of Mexican singer Jaramar in Guwahati was one of the most notable. Jaramar, who feeds on her traditions to create a deeply personal music, was part of a unique fusion experience in Guwahati where she incorporated Mexican music with the Indian Sarangi, Flute and Tabla. Wvoath – a folk-fusion band of the Lepcha community of Sikkim – tops the list among the new home-grown experimental bands.



Cherapunjee fest
As it is with other parts of the country, metal has become the preferred genre for the youth in most States of the Northeast. Judging from that angle, a number of prolific bands have indeed touched base here this year. Mention can be made of outfits like Swiss folk metal band Eluveite that performed in IIT – Guwahati’s annual cultural fest ‘Alcheringa’ in the month of February. For the uninitiated, Eluvietie is presently raging across the European folk metal circuit, with its authentic bend of Celtic folk music and melodic death metal. With a wide population of metalheads spread over the region, the band’s performance in Guwahati was definitely worth reckoning. One also remembers the performance of DeProfundis – a UK-based death metal band that performed in the city towards the fag end.


While the overall music scenario is most of the States does not appear to be too rosy and can be said to have even gone down from previous years, a significant development could be noticed in the emergence of pub gigs which have caught the fancy of music lovers in most of the States. Besides serving as a potent launching pad for new artistes, these places have also witnessed performances by some visiting artistes and bands. In Guwahati, mention can be made of Cafe Hendrix, the Rockarolla Pub Rock gigs held at Cafe Blues and the gigs organized at Traffic Bar and the Basement Jaxx. While Nagaland has a number of lounge bars that organize such shows, Tango Lounge is the chief organizer of gigs in Shillong. Jumping Bean Cafe, Cafe Hiyo, Cafe Destination and Dream Cafe are some of the most popular lounge bars in Nagaland that organizes such independent musical events.



Cleave from Manipur performing
during Karbi Anglong National
Beats Contest
To provide a State-wise break-up of the music scene, Nagaland – the only State to have a clear-cut music policy – remains the most proactive among all the State governments. That should not come as a surprise when we take into cognizance the fact that it is probably the only government in our country to have dedicated an entire governmental wing in the form of the Music Task Force (MTF) for the promotion and propagation of music in its land. The Music Task Force, led by its project director Gugs Chishi, has indeed been doing a commendable job in pursuing the objectives it has been set up for.


One of the most successful initiatives of the Music Task Force would be the Hornbill Rock competition, which is being projected as the mother of all rock competitions in India. With a huge prize money of more than Rupess 10 lakhs dedicated for local rock bands of the country, I don’t see any reason why they should not get that tag. The Hornbill rock competition is organized as part of the annual week-long traditional Hornbill festival of Nagaland. Twenty top bands from all over the country participated in this year’s competition, which saw Slain (Bengaluru) walk away with the winners trophy of Rs. 5 lakhs. Traditional music, dance, food and the best of rock – Hornbill truly is a festival not to be missed!


Talking of traditional festivals, music has become an inseparable component of the many such festivals organized in the region. One can talk about the Autumn festival of Shillong, the Sangai festival of Manipur, Cherapunjee festival of Meghalaya, etc. All these festivals had a host of prolific musicians performing therein. For instance, Indus Creed, who are presently on their re-union tour, had Cherapunjee as one of the venues and watching their performance, all one can say is that they are much stronger than ever before. The other bands who performed in Cherrapunjee were Blues-rock band Soulmate, Shillong-based bands Colours and Snowwhite, Japanese Buddhist monk Gyomyo Nakamura, experimental rock band Abiogenesis, multiphronic chant master Lama Tashi, Delhi-based singer-songwriter Sushmit Bose, amongst others. Nakamura, for those who don’t know him, is a Buddhist monk who lives in India for most of the year and who is also a rock musician with insane guitar skills!


Besides these frequent gigs and festivals, another significant development would be the emergence of music being used as a social tool for peace and reconciliation. The lead in this regard has been taken by the Eastern Beats Music Society – one of the foremost bodies of musicians, music lovers, artists and activists. From streets shows and jamming sessions to the much hyped 2nd Karbi Anglong national beats, this society has been really reaching out to people in the hinterland, showing the healing and nurturing qualities of music. The Karbi Anglong Beats is an unique attempt to promote village bands as well as channelize the energy of youth in a positive direction. Ten top bands from across the country had participated in the second edition of this contest that was held in a insurgency and ethnic-violence hit area, and which was incidentally Assam’s first national rock contest. Dementia from Nagaland walked away with the winner’s trophy while Cleave from Manipur finished a close second. Talking about the use of music as a social tool, one also remembers the efforts of the Haflong Music Association which had actually dared to organize a peace concert in the middle of strife-torn Haflong town of NC Hills! Brave souls who have shown the immense healing power of music!


While the region continued to host its annual music festivals, like the Lou Majaw-led Bob Dylan celebration in Shillong, the club circuit of the region also had some prolific musicians performing in their midst; litterateur and experimental vocalist Amit Choudhury, Indian Ocean, santoor player Rahul Sharma, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, KK, being a few of them. A few musicians and groups from the region have also established their hold firmly in the independent industry in the mainland and abroad this year. Talking on these lines, how can we forget the performance of the Shillong Chamber Choir that is presently raging across the South-east Asian choir circuit? This group, which performed for visiting US president Barack Obama after winning India’s Got Talent and gold medals in the World Choir competition, had it coming for a long time now and it is of much pleasure that Bah Neil Nongkynrih and his troupe finally got their due. The Angarag ‘Papon’ Mahanta-led East India Company is also proving a point, having performed in the cultural evening of the Commonwealth Games.


A melange of performances but when it comes to the audience, the response is loud and clear: We want more!



Feedback: optionaldutta@gmail.com



Author info

Aiyushman Dutta's picture

Journalist and Founder Secretary, Eastern Beats Music Society.

Comments

Gaurab Sinha's picture

Its really nice to know Northeast India emerging day after day in the field of music. This industry will draw more talent from the entire region and has the potential to compete with other musician and bands on the national level as well as international level. Recently, Shillong Chamber Choir was felicitated by CNN-IBN TV channel which is a boost to all the music lovers and enthusiasts. Overall,Music in India proved a point in this year, 2010, which is coming to an end, promising more upcoming talents in the field of music.

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Then soldier of B’desh, now resident of Assam

7 Aug 2008 - 2:18pm | editor
He is Sarawat Ali. Sawawat, owns of 20 bighas of land, have been living in Naptipara gaon under Kalaigaon police station in Darrang district for the last 30 years and his family. How far is he an...

Take up dam issue with Xi: CM to PM

18 Sep 2014 - 9:49pm | AT News
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue of construction of dams on the river Brahmaputra river Chinese President Xi Jinping who is on a visit to New Delhi....

AGP releases panchayat manifesto

19 Dec 2007 - 10:51am | editor
The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad has promised to change the face of rural Assam with thrust on roads, health, drinking water, electricity, education etc if it is voted in the upcoming panchayat...

Bandel prior’s Good Friday message stresses peace, harmony

30 Mar 2018 - 10:54am | CM Paul
Bandel, West Bengal —   The head priest of the oldest Catholic church in eastern India has called people to “actively promote peace and harmony in these volatile days by extending good will...

Other Contents by Author

DIMAPUR: Films, music, ethnic food and ethnic game competitions marked Tribal Vaganza – a two-day festival of indigenous games, music and culture – which concluded late last night in Dimapur, spreading the need to promote our dying folk culture amongst the youth of the region for posterity. Organized by Abiogenesis Society, the festival Tribal Vaganza was held with the support of North Eastern Council, Shillong. The festival saw the release of the much anticipated film, ‘Enter My World’, which has been written and directed by Arenla Subong, the popular female vocalist of thrice Grammy nominated band Abiogenesis. Releasing the film, Nagaland Minister for Higher & Technical Education...
GUWAHATI: Internationally acclaimed fusion-jazz band ASIA7 from Thailand will be performing at the Shri Shri Madhavdeva International Auditorium in Sanardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati on the evening of March 7. The band will be performing in Guwahati after their stellar performances during the 8th edition of the Delhi International Jazz Festival at Nehru Park held earlier this year. The performance of the band in the city is being organized by the Guwahati Regional Office of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Asia7 is a jazz fusion band from Thailand. Founded in 2016 by a group of alumni of the College of Music, Mahidol University,...
A rare and unheard case was recorded in Shillong where a woman in her 50s allegedly swallowed an entire toothbrush while brushing which was removed from her stomach without a surgery. The patient had come to see Dr. Issac Syiem, a Senior Surgeon in the Shillong Civil Hospital on January 25 and narrated the whole incident. Prior to this, she had visited other doctors in the hospital, who referred the case to Dr. Syiem. When she was evaluated by Dr. Syiem, he was surprised to know that the patient was in no discomfort and suffered no pain. The patient, a resident of Lower Mawprem, told him that she would have never approached any doctor if not for her daughter’s insistence. The X-ray...
The Digital Literacy Curriculum (DLC) Centre was recently inaugurated by Nur Hussain ACS, ADC (Education) , Golaghat at Letekujan. The DLC Centre is being set up by the Institute of Research & Documentation of Indigenous Studies (IRDIS) in partnership with Microsoft India under the Corporate social responsibility initiative of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd in the premises of the Lattakoojan TE, APPL, at Letekujan, Golaghat to impart basic digital knowledge and skills to the students in and around Letekujan. The Inaugural function was attended and addressed by Nur Hussain as the Chief Guest, PC Saloi IPS, DIG Central Range, Shiladitya Chetia IPS, SP Golaghat, Dr. Deepa Dutt, Executive...
The much awaited first-edition of the North-east section got underway in the 44th International Film Festival of India in Kala Academy, Panjim today. The Northeast section is a first-of-its-kind programme incorporated in the prestigious IFFI ceremony to commemorate filmmakers and films from India’s Northeast region.Popular Naga folk fusion band marked the opening of the Northeast section of the IFFI ceremony where popular actors Adil Hussain and Seema Biswas and Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma were the guest of honours respectively. The Northeast section, which has been curated by National Award-winning film critic Utpal Borpujari, will culminate on November 27. Eminent Assamese...
There seems to be no stopping this young Assamese actress. Mumbai-based Assamese actress Urmila Mahanta who has been in the news for the past couple of years is back in the limelight. Making the entire State of Assam and Northeast India proud, Urmila has shown her mettle by being nominated for the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) for her stellar performance in the Tamil crime thriller Vazhakku Enn: 18/9.Urmila has been nominated in two categories in the prestigious SIIMA awards – as Best Debutant Actress and Best Supporting Actress. The awards will be given in Dubai in the third week of September. Urmila is the first Assamese girl to be nominated for the SIIMA award, that too...
A Seminar and Talk  on “ Immigration and Conflict Resolution”  was held jointly by Assam Institute of Research for Tribals and Scheduled Castes(AIRTSC) and the Institute of Research and Documentation of Indigenous Studies ( IRDIS), at the Administrative Staff College, Khanapara on March 20. The talk, delivered by  Prof. C. Matthew Snipp, Burnet C. and Mildred Finley Wohlford Professor of Humanities and Sciences in the Department of Sociology, Stanford University,USA, dwelt on the conflicts of indigenous people  and immigrant communities  and the resolution of these conflicts, with particular focus on the experience of American Indians in the United States, as well...
Three days of fun, frolic and non-stop music marked the second edition of the Guwahati International Music Festival. One of the only such festivals in the eastern part of the country, more than 200 artists from as many as 6 countries took part in the mega event. The festival was organized by Eastern Beats Music Society with the support of Assam Tourism, NTPC and NEEPCO.From Jazz to Blues, Classical to Rock – Guwahatians were spoilt for choice as some of the biggest names in the music industry descended in the Northeast. For the visiting artistes too, it was an excellent opportunity to network with the virtuoso musicians of the far-flung region of the country. Bickram Ghosh,...
In keeping with the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) of the country, the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) is organizing in Jorhat a mega Northeast-centric carnival capturing the mood and brilliance of springtime. With more than 250 artistes participating, the festival will showcase the biggest ensemble of folk dances, folk music, craftsmen, choral singers, tribal folk musicologists and others who will present the best of regional dance, music, culture, et al. The North East Spring Festival, will be inaugurated in the presence of Honourable Chief Minister of Assam Shri Tarun Gogoi, Cultural Minister Pranati Phukan, NEZCC Chairman and Honourable...
The Open Platform, a mobile forum travelling through all the North east States, reaches Shillong tomorrow. The seminar will be held at the State Central Library by 12 pm. The Open Platform is a initiative of writer-activists Susan Waten of Nagaland and Aiyushman Dutta of Guwahati. Both writers are travelling to each town and city of the Northeast. The event in Shillong is coordinated along with the help of local writer Eric Nongkynrih. The Open Platform kick started in Guwahati on December 22, 2011 at the 13th North East Book Fair. Writers and poets, journalists and photographers, students and research scholars participated by reading out their published/unpublished works and by...