acquired monk syndrome

What a Day!

Started off with the usual frenzy of setup and frantic calls to get everyone together and get everything in place..
Nolan and I reached the venue at about 11:00, and there was nothing there except the Shelter guys and Generator..

What surprised us the most was that the crowd had started coming in already.. There were about 20 people there for the gig at 11:00.. [I apologize to you guys for the miscommunication]..

Things started falling into place with lots more people coming in, and the crowd too.. We expected to start off by 2:00 but there was a slight delay with the setup.. We did start at about 2:40, the first band took stage..

Eccentric Pendulum, our opening act, helped us with the last minute sound adjustments and setup.. They were ready to go and I got the second surprise.. One announcement and the crowd just stood up and went up front to support the band.. Bear in mind it was bloody hot and the stage was right out in the sun..

Bands that followed were Kaashmora, Venator, Abandoned Agony, Catalyst, Corrode, Inner Sanctum, Culminant, Theorized.. All the bands put in their best and the crowds response was just amazing band after band..

While i acknowledge the bands for being on the stage and performing, I must say that the crowd was just excellent.. They moshed and moshed and moshed till their heads dropped.. A true Headbangers Ball.. I’ve not witnessed such enthusiasm and response for the last two years.. I also like to thank you for preserving the values and rules and restrictions that the venue put forward by not smoking and making a mess out there..

The Headlining Acts took stage quite late and they acknowledged the time factor[limit].. They were extremely professional in setting up on stage, getting the sound right, performing and clearing out..

Slain, have been around for sometime and have made their mark by sweeping competitions like anything.. They have worked their way up to being what they are today, a truly remarkable, enjoyable band..

Kryptos, A perfect ending to a even more perfect day.. They were simply awesome and well supported by the crowd.. A band who got to support Iron Maiden[Who happen to be one of their long time inspirations], can put on an inexplicable performance, and this was one..

I would like to thank Nolan, for putting up with me, for keeping this brainchild of ours alive, all the beer, all the learning, all the ideas, etc etc..

I would also like to thank a whole bunch of people who helped make this gig a huge success - Samik, Prasad, Salman, Yamini, Vibha, Adarsh, Nachi, Suraj, Donald, Jaywanth, Hazel, Rohit, Ryan, Addy, Goldy, Siddharth, Harsha, Benji, Ashwin, Pranay, Deep, Bharadvaj, Danny, Ooma, Amar, Akshaya, ChaMundi, Nikhila, Mudith, Harsha, Siva, Sachin, Nikhil, Arun, Ashish, Vibhas, Chintan, Michael, Rajeev, Abhinav, Gaurav, Rajesh, Hitesh, Shreyas, Sruthi, Ashu, Suneil, Vinly, Nisha, Vishnu, Sankalp,Charan, Yash, Ankit, Manek, Judah, Brydon, Naresh, Jared, Jonathan for making this a HUGE success..

Last but not the least, I think Sound Ace did and incredible job by supporting us.. This gig wouldnt have been possible without them.. And thanks to Furtados for giving us the Drum Kit..

A Truly Epic Gig!

One last thing, Corrode were just awesome to give me that opportunity to perform with them one last time.. Good Fun ras..

Half of 2009 is about to go by and I’ve not written a post here..

This new years has been really awesome so far.. Some highlights ,

I made a resolution to watch 1000 movies this year and I have watched 600+ at the moment.. What a feat..

Had one of the most awesome-est weekend every on Feb 14th and 15th with the Air Show and Iron Maiden gig.. This experience was totalyl unforgettable.. Seeing Kryptos live with Maiden was even better..

I quit Corrode as their Guitarist, on probably the best terms ever.. I was having a bad time everywhere and couldnt put time to it.. At the same time a Certain band called Kryptos recruited me as their Audio Engineer/Guitar Tech/Drum Tech..

Rock Ethos 2 was the first gig where I pretty much did some work for Kryptos.. Working with that setup was just an awesome experience..

I now have a beautiful car to drive thanks to my parents, Its a Fiat Linea and it behaves so beautifully..

Finally work started pouring in but I was able to go to Mysore with Kryptos for a show in SJCE, The trip was unforgettable.. Here It was just Me and the console for the first time ever, I should thank Vikram for standing by and helping me out.. Iron Maiden’s movie Flight 666 was the highlight of May, with the tribute gig at Planet M the previous day of the release..

In between all this, I worked on a project called baware[http://baware.in] with Abhijit and Neeti.. A few protests and lots of noise we did get noticed to an extent we wanted to.. No reports of attacks have been heard recently.. So that went pretty well..

Thru May and June, I’ve been working hard for Stoke Networks where i completed one full year[Successfully] and the results of this are showing in the press world..

The highlight of this quarter was the Endorsement Deal for Kryptos’ drummer Ryan from Vic Firth.. This was an enormous success and this is a lot of support well deserved and needed..

Lots of stuff is planned out for this year, and I hope to update the same time to time..

What? 

After being off stage for almost one and a half year, i finally managed to find a band thats tailor made for me.. I just cannot express how much i enjoy being in a band or in this band for that matter.. So far we’ve practiced, hung out, ate, pulled each other’s legs, written music, and Everyone just fits in.. In all these years struggling to fit into a band or forming a band, this has to be my best experience ever..  

How?

On one of those long working nights, i found a post on orkut looking for a guitarist for blah blah blah.. I went to Goldy’s profile and found it locked.. He fortunately had left his number and I called the next day.. He had heard about me and my previous bands and he was pretty comfortable auditioning me.. And there i went.. All the way to Matthikere.. 

Then What?

We had our first gig in Mysore on 26th and it was a blast.. We went there on both the days and I dont think any of us actually slept a wink.. It had to be the most memorably trip ever.. The gig itself went so well.. We were well supported by the Audience and the Sound was near perfect.. The songs came out pretty well..

Thankings :

I’d personally like to thank everyone from Venator, Kaashmora, Macabre Intent, Salman, for all the help and support at the gig and My Bandmates for putting up with me so easily..  And Last but not the least Don for hopping on this trip and making so many things easier , for the photos, for everything…..

Well.. My Fusion/Jazz/Funk band Vibrant is playing tomorrow at Cosmos Mall.. With Sound and Lighting costing around 1.5Lakhs..

Band Lineup :
Shalini - Bass
Sudhakar - Drums
Jayanth - Guitars
Dheeru - Keyboards

Also playing are : Inner Sanctum, Pushtin Tin, Stond, Theorized..

Time : 1:00 PM

Come off! Free Entry..

Picture Perfect!!!

Well as of now my engineering days can be counted… Four years of total nonsense.. Cant really say it was useful, not even close.. I just wonder what i could have done with all that time, Music or Travel or something.. But those days are gone now.. Che..

Decided, Unrest air prevails
Decend, Weary dark sight
Pulled on, Into the swirls of abyss
Screaming, His death undeserved

He waits, There unprepared
Tidal Waves, Unforgivingly arrive
Sweptk off, Swallowed bare
Confronts him, With his liquid grave

Soul Survives, Returning with Memories
Stains unwasked, Seeing unreal scenes
New home awaits this soul
Forever unseen, Shadows in thy mind

–
Surrounded, By the Crimson, Fades in your mind,
thought of blood red on the ground

Imagine, Sorrow around, Lead in his head
fallen down,low, done, a broken one

Daylight, Fades into dark, Unsuspecting move
Victim of Murder, He’s taken down

Freedom, A distant thought, A sacrifice
made for the low and the deprived
–
Lost, Lost Sanity
Lost, Lost Humanity
Lost, Lost Justice
Lost, Lost Reality
–
Pain and torture now, the punishment
The end of it, see freedom victorious

The war ends, battles won, (and) mortals lost
A price paid to buy back our freedom

The old man, stayed awake, screams in joy
His thoughts and wishes all true and done

Surrounded by the crimson, New day has come,
So whats the Price of Our Freedom?
–
Why? Does freedom have a price?
We fight, until the end of time

Why? Does freedom have a price?
We Die, (When) We try to pay the price