This will rock the night: This is how we came to rock

Shilpa Bansal / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / Updated: Nov 16, 2014, 10:30 IST

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This Sunday, watch some of the popular bands in the city pay tribute to the evolution of rock and independent music in Bengaluru as part of `How Bangalore Came to Rock'

This will rock the night: This is how we came to rock

This Sunday take a trip down memory lane and raise a toast to the bands, venues and gigs that have revolutionised rock and independent music in the city.
Black & White Moments: How Bangalore Came to Rock by Diageo will celebrate a night of nostalgia with a line-up of some of the best of rock and jazz performances from renowned artistes like Bruce Lee Mani, Chris Avinash, Nolan Lewis and Radha Thomas, among others.
“The idea is to encourage moments of togetherness, sharing and conversations in a very unique format. The first edition of Black & White Moments in Mumbai -Remembering Rang Bhavan -was a phenomenal success and that's when we thought of the How Bangalore Came to Rock concept for Bengaluru which is the epicenter of rock music in India,“ says BhaveshSomaya, marketing and innovation director, Diageo.
“How Bangalore Came to Rock is a tribute to the evolution of independent and rock music in Bengaluru wherein the artistes will come together for some very engaging conversations with the audience; sharing and reliving special memories associated with rock and independent music in the city,“ he adds.

This nostalgic rock night will feature live performances and tête-à-têtes with the audience where artistes will share stories that pay homage to this journey.
“The artistes will share stories that they associate with some of the iconic venues (Three Aces, Palace Grounds, Webbs Grounds, CounterCulture, Bflat, and Opus), that have provided a platform for live performances and have shaped the rock and independent music scene in

Bengaluru. These stories and performances will be interspersed with short films that will take the audience back to the spaces that mattered to music lovers and to the memories that inspired artistes to make it big in the scene,“ explains Somaya.
And the process of shortlisting the performing bands was simple. “Since the event is all about how the rock music scene came to the city, we have artistes from every period in Bangalore's music history 60s to the present day. We want every rock-music-lover to be a part of this event. The audience are sure to take home a night to remember,“ he shares.
How Bangalore Came to Rock starts at 7.30pm, on November 16, at The Humming Tree, Indiranagar, call 9886618386
GERARD MACHADO: Opus is my fav venue as it has a very homely atmosphere. It has a setup that allow closer encounters with the audience. I have always had happy memories when I've played there. I think I will be playing a tune by Duke Ellington called I Ain't Got Nothing But the Blues and Billie's Bounce by Charlie Parker to recreate the Opus feel.
REX ROZARIO: Three Aces was one of the earliest places in the rock music scene back in the 70s. I had a lot of my friends (Cosy Meyers, Rooney, Victor Francis) performing there which makes it a very special place for me. I will be playing my own composition, named after my father Jakes Rozario called Jakies's Jive and Take Five --nothing can be more nostalgic.
1) NOLAN LEWIS: Palace Ground is closest to my heart as that's the place where we played most of our biggest gigs as a band. We opened at that place for Iron Maiden which was a milestone for us as a band. We also have special memories associated with this place as we've seen several big bands perform there that have inspired us as we grew up. The evening will document the entire history of rock and roll in Bangalore; it'll be great to see where we fit in the entire picture and thus, as a tribute, we will surely perform Seek And Destroy by Metallica.
2) CHRIS AVINASH: Webbs Ground is closest to my heart. I grew up watching some superb band performances here in my youth. I have also performed at Webbs with my bands Angel Dusk and Document Done. During 2000 and 2007 I organised events for budding bands.It's going to be fun sharing other bands' trip and to share our experiences. I will be playing a Pink Floyd track Coming Back to Life and a song, Friends, on my acoustic guitar -I think these tracks are best way to recreate the mood.
3) RAJEEVRAJGOPAL: Palace Grounds is where we have performed for some of our biggest shows including the opening for Deep Purple. The place is also special because it has been the platform for some of the most special acts India has ever seen. As a part of Thermal and a Quarter we will pay tribute to this venue by performing In The Middle and our own version of In Bloom by Nirvana.
4) RADHA THOMAS: Today there are tons of places with live music. But I really like Take 5, BFlat and Opus. It's heartening that musical memories seem to be worth preserving and while I feel nostalgic, I may be singing one of my own tunes, RenduDosai.

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