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Vashi2Panvel.com: Navi Mumbai: March 3: Navi Mumbai is slated to be one of the most boring, dry and out-of-action places. While most of the time, the city adorns a plain-jane cloak, it sometimes invite outsiders with a few enticing, ‘shake-ur-body’ activities. One of them is rock shows, mostly organised by college students during their much-hyped fests. Besides, there are rock shows on Christmas Eve, V-day, New Year, Diwali and you can just go on adding to the list. And of course, you really need no reason to organise one when four rock fans meet! So, you also have the private rock parties. Well, with so much ‘rocking-activities’ happening in the city all the time, we can’t really call this place dull or monotonous. So, we spoke to a few College students and band members to find out if they really see a scope for rock shows here….


Ritwik Borthakur New Panvel resident had been a member of a successful band called ‘cusp’ that won the first prize at Malhar, the much-coveted Xavier’s festival. He opines, “A setup backed by sufficient open space, great sound system, top of the mind bands, good music, competent crowd management and linkage to some kind of a noble cause… that’s all that Navi Mumbai needs for an amazing rock show.” Ask him if the ‘townie-guys’ would be interested in coming down if we organise a rock show he says, “I don’t think people in Mumbai would mind coming down here as long as we are providing great music, good fun and promoting it with an attitude. Music knows no boundaries anyway!”

Abhishek Denzil, drummer (Human Abstract band), Nerul resident feels differently. Though he also agrees that the scope is immense but his reasons are different, “Yes, of course Navi Mumbai has immense scope to host rock concerts. There are lots of open spaces in Navi Mumbai as against the greater Mumbai. Then, there are copious rock enthusiasts here. Several Navi Mumbai based bands have been a rage among the youngsters. And, even organizing the events is comparatively easier out here with a little relaxed rules and regulations as compared to Mumbai.”

Dhruv Vijan, Vashi resident and rock enthusiast believes the main reason for a rock-show to be a hit here is the presence of copious engineering colleges! “I believe Navi Mumbai has immense scope primarily because of a plethora of engineering colleges here! Rock shows appeal to the engineering students and rock culture amongst Gen X is really ‘in’ these days. Why else would you find guys with long hair, pierced ears and brows? If a rock show is organised here, it has to be a hit!”

Be it a rock enthusiast or a rock-band member, all feels that if a rock show is organised here, it would be hit. The mania to obtain passes for Horizons, the RAIT fest or the frenzy to find a place at ‘Utsav’, the Pillai’s engineering fest just shows the mushrooming rock culture in the city. And, it probably also exposes the hidden shade of our ‘bespectacled geeks’ who are soaked neck deep in books otherwise...

By Swati Pandey