Bob Marley tribute concerts in Manipur

Our Correspondent IMPHAL, May 30 It was in 2008 that Imphal hosted a Bob Marley tribute concert for the first time. The event saw a large number of music lovers from Manipur coming together to celebrate the music and message of this great musical prophet. Similarly on June 20 this year, the Art Heals Trust,Manipur, a new organization dedicated to the promotion of the Arts in Manipur, will be coming together again to organize “The Imphal Roots Rock Reggae Show” a tribute to Bob Marley.This grand musical event will be held at Iboyaima Shanglen from 5pm onwards and it will feature live music by Imphal’s very own ‘Anticlockwise’ a five piece band from Imphal, Manipur which is essentially a Blues/Rock band that believes in employing the sound of folk and indigenous instruments. Besides the ‘Roots Reggae Band’ all the way from Shillong will also be joined by the who’s who of Imphal’s music scene, namely, Akhu, singer/songwriter and lead vocalist of alternative folk band Imphal Talkies,Haraba, vocalist of blues band Fringes,Bhabanda, singer/songwriter of a promising rock band Pendulum Swing, Kendy,vocalist of Imphal¬based Post¬Punk-Dirty Strikes, Electro Indie Rock, Sammi a well known singer in the Imphal rock scene and Roxy vocalist of the all female band Maniac of Imphal. Once a year, “RootsReggaeBand” a group of musician friends from Shillong and the NE region get together to perform the music of the inspirational reggae legend, Bob Marley, at the annual tribute concerts. The founder and music director of the “RootsReggaeBand” is Keith Wallang, who through his event firm, Springboard Surprises, has been instrumental in popularising the music and message of Bob Marley through the annual Marley tribute concerts organized in Shillong for the past many years. For the “The Imphal Roots Rock Reggae Show”, on vocals will be the awesomely talented ladies ‘Elaine Wallang’, ‘Andrea Tariang’ & ‘Sarahlee’ who are the lead vocalists of popular Shillong bands namely The Rudy Wallang Band, Lavender Groove & 4th Element and joining them is the exciting new kid on the Shillong music scene ‘Gino Thangkhiew’. On lead guitars we have blues player ‘Shepherd Naijiar’ of the band Blue Temptation & sessionist ‘Valte Chongtu’ from the punk band Tarik. The rhythm section features the brothers ‘Leon Wallang’ & ‘Vincent Tariang’ who both play with the country’s most well known blues band Soulmate. On keyboards we have the young talented ‘Manavon Massar’ who is an alumnus of the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music and on percussions we have local star ‘Momocha Laishram’. Pre¬event will be held at the following Cafe –A2Z on May 30, Dazzle on June 10, Greens on June 13,Book and Coffee on June on 17.For details log on www.insider.in.