Darjeeling, Aug. 20. - In a unique effort to revive the town's rich western music tradition, a workshop was organized for upcoming local bands here today.
Motivated more by dreams than copious expertise, the two-hour session was essential in a town with
a decaying infrastructure, but inhabited by extremely music-minded
citizens. Among the most notable productions of the Darjeeling music
world happens to be none other than Louis Banks.
Leading today`s workshop, which was organized by `The Buzz`,
where gigs are played daily, was Rusty Nails, a popular old band
of the town that has now successfully shifted base to Kathmandu.
Around 20 participants, members of various bands, all of whom have
been struggling to carve a niche for themselves, turned up.
Aspirants were given tips, raging from maintenance of equipment
and finances, to the right way to interact with an audience. A veteran
musician who now runs a pub in the town, took participants down
memory lane, to the 60`s and 70`s, when bands were one of the defining
characters of Darjeeling.
Yuvraj Chhetri, guitarist-cum-vocalist of Rusty Nails, remarked
that the music scene had improved in Darjeeling, compared to the
times when their band was making waves in the late 80's. `The
potential is really good now. Our times were different,` he
remarked.
Like theatre and other art forms, the music scene came to a grinding
halt during the Gorkhaland agitation, a fact which was much lamented
by locals. Like Rusty Nails, most musicians migrated from Darjeeling
to other parts of the country or Nepal. It is only in the last couple
of years that a revival of sorts has been occurring in Darjeeling.
There are nearly 12 bands now, formed recently.
Explaining why they had to leave Darjeeling, Yuvraj said: `We
left because of finances. We could not have made a living here by
playing music. In Kathmandu, we are contracted by upmarket hotels,
and that brings in good money.`
Sandeep Lavar, guitarist for Reincarnation, one of the up-and-coming
local bands, said: `The workshop was invaluable, because we
could learn a lot from interacting with a professionally successful
band.`
Courtesy
The Statesman |
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