29 September,2011 10:34 AM IST | | Rocky Thongam
Three bands, on October 2, will try and tell the Capital the meaning of 'stick it to the man'
Many a time when you catch up with a lead vocalist or a guitarist of a rock band on an afternoon, after a gig night (and the party that followed), chances are he or she will receive you in a grubby nightgown (sometimes without it). A joint will be rolled and offered, a peace-pipe for all the nasty things you said about the performance and the vicious digs he or she took at your writing. All debate and arguments will be put to rest with one sentence - stick it to the man.
'The man' remains a very integral part of rock music. He is the one, musicians and poets fight back and resist. In India's context, he could be anyone from corruption, injustice, to the damsel who broke your heart. Thus, rock band hunts, besides mileage for the sponsor and the dynamics of finance and market, is also about finding people who can 'stick it to the man'.
Three bands are going to perform in the Capital on October 2, incidentally Gandhi's birthday (someone who indeed stuck it to the man), as part of a sunglass manufacturing brand's intitiative to look for aspiring bands in the country.
Fire Exit, the first band from the Capital, who gave us Ok Bye! - their first album at the starting of year - promises au00a0 mixture of 'varied styles of rock, metal and psychedelia'. Throw in their experiment with the tabla (Varun Gupta) and the jazz-influenced bass lines and you get something which is for the 'common listener'. Their stick-it-up-the-man factors are the darker emotions of life, not sad or melancholic but slightly darker moods, show when it comes to lyrics.
Then there is the Middle Finger Theory. These Dilli chaps got influenced by Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Radiohead, Incubus and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and created a NuMetal/Experimental act which did its fair share at the Kirori Mal, AIIMS fest and developed a small fan base of their own. The third is Uncertainty Principle which came up last year. Influenced by quantum mechanics or by Porcupine Tree, Incubus, Dream Theater and Alter Bridge, this group which started as a school band, tried hard to go beyond Joe Satriani or Paul Gilbert. Their fans on FB shows this - Rock / Alternative /Progressive band is fast catching up.
So, this Saturday will they stand up and 'stick-it-to-da-man'? Let your salutation from the mosh pit be the judge.
Ray Ban Never Hide Sounds
On: October 2
At: DLF Promenade Mall
Timings: 5 to 8 pm
For more info www.ray-ban.com/india/neverhide-sounds
