Christmas Night Celebrations!!

Christmas Celebrations with Girish & the Chronicles.!!!!

Date - 25th December 2010

Venue - Blues.

Time - 7pm onwards.

Be there guys....Cheers!

Cherrapunji Indigenous Festival 2010

Amongst the valleys and foaming rivers, hidden amidst the rolling clouds lies Cherrapunji, perched on a headland. Cherrapunji, in the state of Meghalaya, is a spectacular location with the year-round rain. Long back, Cherrapunji had once earned the covetous place in The Guinness Book of World Records for being the wettest place on earth leading it to be of historic, geographic and strategic significance to India. Meghalaya – ‘the home of clouds’, is now aiming at uplifting the economic development of the state through eco-tourism.

CIF Chairman, Dr. P.W. Khongjee, has taken up a bold initiative to organize a yearly festival in Laitmawsiang, Cherrapunji. The festival Spokesperson, Mr. E.B. Blah, emphasizes on the festival’s importance for the area’s continued well-being and prosperity.

The economic instability of Cherrapunji is an increasing problem since ages because agriculture and mining are the sole sources of income for the locals in the area. However, Mr. Blah is convinced that the area’s scenic beauty and cultural heritage will prove to be beneficial in making tourism a reliable and promising source of income in Cherrapunji.

This 4-day long festival will take pace in Laitmawsiang, Cherrapunji, Meghalaya from the 8^th-11^th December and to ensure maximum participation, CIF Chairman, Dr. P.W. Khongjee, has made provisions of free bus services for the people from Shillong to Laitmawsiang, Cherrapunji on an hourly basis. Also temporary accommodations have been arranged for, which include huts and tents with ethnic ambience, near the venue for the visitors coming from across the country.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

‘Music was always considered a driving factor for the people of the North East, India.’

The main attraction of the festival is the National Level Rock Competition; to be held on the 10^th of December which is, by far, the biggest competition ever in the state of Meghalaya. The winning band will be awarded a cash prize of 1,50,000 followed by 30,000 cash prize for the runner’s up band and many individual prizes as well.

‘‘For the first time we have invited 10 bands from across the country and abroad to perform at the Cherrapunji Indigenous Fest  2010’’ says CIF Chairman, P.W. Khongjee.

None other than the Indian Rock n’ Roll heroes, Indus Creed, will be headlining the festival after their ten-year break. The band’s key members – Uday Benegal, Mahesh Tinaikar and Zubin Balaporia are back with a new and forceful incarnation of Indus Creed, backed up by their new bassist - Rushad Mistry and drummer- Jai Row Kavi. They do promise us that one thing! – To break new grounds even as they slam it out!!!

Its been 10 years since Indus Creed left grounds leaving many perplexed as to why a band, so amazing, would call it a day at the peak of their success and after all they were the first name on the lips of every Indian rock fan, with hits, awards and accolades stacked high and still climbing. Reasons and theories abound, but the truth is simple, the fellers with unhappy with the direction in which the music biz was heading; it had all become highly corporative, crass & stifling. They had reached a point, individually, where they wanted to explore different directions, musically & geographically. But now that Indus Creed is back, and they are all set to rock the people of the North East.

Soulmate, our very own band from Shillong, inspired by the roots & grooves of the Blues-Rock n’ Roll-Funk-R&B, came together in Shillong in February 2003. Rudy Wallang is one the most famous singers/songwriter/guitarists our country has ever had, also having been part of the very well known blue’s acts, Great Society & Mojo. Tiripti ‘Tips’ Kharbangar, the beautiful and extremely talented vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Soulmate has earned a name as one of the finest female vocalists to have emerged out of Shillong and India as a whole. Rudy and Tiripti have also earned the ‘Best Guitar Player’ and the ‘Best Female Vocalist’ title, respectively, in the 2009 Jack Daniels Awards. They will be quite a treat to watch on stage.

Also performing in the fest is Abiogenesis, a rock/fusion band from Nagaland. They believe that India is never satisfied with mainstream music and so that hunger makes them take music to another level. The band went further into exploration & experimentation which resulted in a new form of world music which they named ‘Howey’, now Abiogenesis brand of music. They are a fusion of folk tunes and various forms of modern music incorporated with traditional flavors. They are known to play their wind musical instrument made of bamboo, invented by Moa, one of their band members among many other traditional instruments. They are also the only band in the world that play Howey & Bam hum. The bands unique music style and positive performances have gotten them increasingly noticed around the world. The band has played 500+ gigs in India and Thailand till date. Their albums ‘Aeon Spell’ released through Saregama received 2 nominations and ‘Rustic Relish’ released through APH records received 4 nominations in the 50^th and 51^st Grammy Awards respectively.

The program may also feature a performance by Lama Tashi, a former Principal Chant Master of the Dalai Lama. His chants have gotten him huge international recognition. He is a multi-phonic chanter and has performed twice at the Carnegie Hall in the New York City. Tashi is also known to have performed with popular recording artists, Natalie Merchant, Michael Stipe (R.E.M), Ben Harper and Sheryl Crow.

Delhi based singer & lyricist, Susmit Bose sometimes also referred to as the ‘Indian Bob Dylan’ is one of the strongest voices of the Indian culture and will be performing in the festival. He has been performing since the seventies and in the past ten years, his songs about struggles for human rights, global peace and non violence, have earned him great success and reflected many important issues and aspects of our country. His upcoming album, ‘‘Song of Dharma’’, the story of Mahabharat is expected to release during the year’s end.

You will also get a chance to watch Gyomyo Nakamura, a Japanese Buddhist monk, perform during the fest for the first time ever. He spends much of the year in India and is a rock musician blessed with insane strumming skills on the guitar. Guruji writes and composes his own music, and sharing the Dharma of Buddha through his songs, he will set the stage on fire for sure.

Hailing from Gangtok, Sikkim, the Blues/Rock Band – Girish & the Chronicles will also be a part of the fest. The band was formed in Oct 2009 and comprises of the finest musicians in Gangtok. They are an integral part of the Pub Rock culture in the North East and never fail to impress the crowd anywhere they perform. They are the first Indian band to compete in the Suncane Skale, a musical festival in Herceg Novi, Montenegro where they also earned second place as well.

The festival will also witness performances by two pioneering bands of Shillong, Colours & Snow White.

Colours was formed in 2004 has been performing all over the country ever since. The band believes in following their dreams and achieving their goals with their love for music.

The band Snow White who has sung for many modern perils, corruption and politics is another band to look out for during the fest. The band members recall growing up with music as an integral part of their lives and to varying degrees, have gotten their first musical education in churches, since an estimated two-thirds of the state is Christian.

The Cherrapunji Indigenous Festival promises to showcase the traditional art & culture of Meghalaya. In addition, various competitions will be held for visitors of different age groups. Also one can experience the Archery, a traditional sport in the North East. You can enjoy the colorful performances by various rural artists; the festival highlights include Traditional Kashi Exhibition and sale of various Art & Craft goods, ethnic food stalls, Herbal Medicine stalls etc.

‘‘This will perhaps be the biggest festival of Meghalaya and we are awaiting visitors from our homeland and abroad with great enthusiasm to make it a grand success.’’ says, CIF Chairman, Dr. P.W. Khongjee.