THE RISING STARSOF GURGAON
In the run up to the finals, three rock bands perform at the semi-finals of Hindustan Times and CyberHub Friday Jam
From raagas to rock, the first round of semi finals of Hindustan Times and Cyber Hub Friday Jam, presented by Suzuki Gixxer in association with Fujifilm Instax, was everything a music aficionado could hope for. The packed amphitheatre saw three rock bands put their heart and soul into striking the right notes with the audiences.
Ashu Phakey, business head - HT Delhi-NCR, said, “It was amazing to see the energy levels at the semifinals. At Hindustan Times, we believe in giving voice to not just people’s opinions but also their talent. I have never seen a more talented bunch.”
Echoes of encore marked the performance of the music band Mix Veg, who belted out their original sufi and classical compositions. Abhishek Raj, the lead vocalist from the band, broke the week-long lull of office work with his classical notes. “Our music is rock, but our influences are classical. Our songs were based on the theme of monsoon. We’re very happy that people enjoyed our performance,” he said.
Daftar Zild, too, left an impact with their compositions, Ab Ghar Aa Bhi Jaa and Baawri. Pranay Mathur, lead vocalist of the band, said, “Even making it to the semi-finals is an honour for us. We are extremely grateful for the recognition we’ve received here.” The high octane performance by Sammohan saw the audience hum along. Ankit Kumar, lead vocalist from the band, said, “Performing at this amazing venue, for such a welcoming crowd, is special. We came up with a new original composition— Atma Manthan, a song about self exploration — for the semi-finals.”
Musician Gavin Pacheco, the judge for the evening, said, “The bands were very competitive tonight. I was looking at the overall performance, how they looked on stage and presented themselves. I think the first performing band, Mix Veg, was my personal favourite. I liked their songs, they were very catchy. They will have something to look forward to. The competition was very close.” Sharing a piece of advice for the bands, Gavin, said, “I’d tell them to concentrate on their performance and continue making original music.”
The crowd marked their presence with selfies. “I have been to Friday Jam before. The bands were great tonight,” said Prabin Gyawali, a regular at Friday Jam.