JUNE 21 HAS ALWAYS been marked in our calendars for Fete de la Musique to mark World Music Day. After a two-year gap, the celebrations are back in Bengaluru. And on that note, the organisers have chosen the theme, ‘Back to life.’ City-based bands — from amateurs, to well-known names in the circuit — are all coming together to share the stage and celebrate the spirit of music.
Spread over three days, the event will be hosted by Alliance Francaise and Bangalore Creative Circus along with Bangalore School of Music (BSM). Jagadeesh MR, the director of BSM, shares, “The pandemic and lockdowns gave us a new perspective on life. We are all grateful to be alive. We had opened up registrations and the response was overwhelming. So many of these bands have not had a live show for so long.” The line-up includes diverse acts such as blues band Go Funk Yourself, saxophonist Sriram Raman Iyer, Tulu singer Praveen Alva, artiste Vishnu Sharma, sufi singer Khanak Joshi, classic rock outfit Crystal Codes and jazz artiste Joe Louis.
Sylvester Pradeep, who fronts city-based rock band The Sylvester Trio, says the band will perform some new music for fans that they have not heard before. “I’ve seen artistes and their art get frozen because of the pandemic. Some of them didn’t have any funds to fall back on. To finally see festivals
happening again is such a relief. We truly feel alive. Fete de la Musique has always been one of our favourite fests to play at,” he tells us.
Up-and-coming 16-year-old Tanya Shanker will also be taking the stage. Tanya says, “As clichéd
as it sounds, music is life. We want to perform a show that will revitalise all of us.” The pop-rock singer
is known for her song Gone Girl, which was released on World Environment Day.
“The city has lost so much of its music over the past few years, even before the pandemic,” says Manisha Vinod, Co-Founder, Blr Creative Circus, adding, “The power of music and its ability to influence our emotions, thoughts, wellbeing, and behaviour towards others, is often underestimated. That’s why Fete de la Musique is such a great concept.”
Entry free. June 17 - 19 and June 24. At venues across the city
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