With New Year just a few days away, the city is getting prepped to host parties, the themes of most of which revolve around Bollywood , EDM, hip-hop and a mix of all to cater to a wider audience. But so far one breed has always been left out — the longhaired, goatee-sporting and head banging citizens of the metal world. Finally, their call has been heard and Bangalore is hosting its first New Year Metal gig, thanks to CounterCulture’s initiative Metal Factory.
Metal Factory has been a monthly affair since September this year, hosting a range of artists.”In November,when we were brainstorming about New Year, Abijith Rao,who manages our programming and is also the front man of Escher’s Knot, broached the subject of trying metal. That’s when we decided to go ahead,” says Vishwaraj Mohan, founder, Counter Culture.
The gig will see five bands belting out the best of metal — Inner Sanctum ( Thrash/Melodic Death Metal), Escher’s Knot ( Progressive Metal), Theorized (Progressive Death/Thrash), Bevar Sea ( Stoner Rock/Doom Metal) and The Down Troddence (Experimental Metal). “People just want to have a good time on New Year’s Eve, and we are really lucky to have a metal gig for the occasion for the first time in Bangalore. The show production will be one of its kind and this event is going to open up a new dimension for bands and the Indian metal fraternity,” believes Rao.
The gig is being supported with special lighting and a backdrop to make it memorable for audiences. Bevar Sea will have Namit Chauhan from Shepherd as guest guitarist playing in place of their guitarist Rahul Chacko and will add classics too. They will also put up merchandise for sale, which according to the vocalist Ganesh “is a fabulous way to begin the New Year.”
Naturally, the city’s metal heads are excited. Says technical writer Amritha Chandrashekhar, “I grew up in Bangalore when it was called Rock city. I love that genre of music and it is sad to see the declining support for rock and metal. I would love to start my year head banging. Of course I’ll go.” Beat boxer Abhishek Bhaskar is excited about listening to Inner Sanctum and Bevar Sea, which he calls “the catchiest name till date.” Adds music enthusiast Purvika Anand, “Since the line-up has familiar Bangalore-based bands, it’s going to feel like home to the guys who share similar passions and haven’t celebrated New Year’s eve together before.”
The last word comes from media professional Vilasini Muralidhar, who acknowledges that metal heads are usually left out when it comes to New Year’s parties. “We aren’t the sort to go to a club and enjoy monotonous music (if I can call it that). This gives us an opportunity to bring in the New Year with our kind of music, our kind of crowd. It’s a great line-up at a good venue—nobody should miss it!”
So if metal is what gives you a high, then this is going to be a temple of sorts. For a different start to 2014, this is the gig to be at.
Metal Factory, Dec 31, 8 pm, at Counter Culture
—R Prashanth Vidyasagar
www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Gig / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / December 23rd, 2013