LIVE BAND RESTAURANTS IN SILIGURI: A NEW BEGINNING???

By D. Prasun (TNI Siliguri) |  TNI Editing Siliguri

Webdesk, TNI Siliguri, 25^th October, 2016: How about an experience of swaying through music that too with live music and has a coffee sip or your favorite red wine or something that you would prefer in a hectic weekend off and that too in a city like Siliguri. Huh! Are you kidding! This is Siliguri man, a rural city got it. Well, of course, this might be the reaction of some Siligurians, who longs to have some kind of break free ambiance after a weekend but end up in an orchestrated bar with some lousy music.

If you call a bar owner regarding why can’t you bring in some sophistication in your presentation during the evening? Most of them will tell you, that’s what the customer wants and that’s how the market behaves. But still, there is a ray of hope rising and rising with full house audience. At least that might give a little logic for the future restaurateurs of this place. There are some cafes and pubs that are coming up to live band music in Siliguri. Among them Hi Spirits Cafe & Pub, Leon Lounge has to be mentioned brightly. Apart from these, there are Harbour, Olive Café, and some others to mention. Though the numbers are very much smaller, yet, some of the live music weekends of these pubs and cafes give something to think about for music minded people living here. Anonymously, some pub owners replying to our queries said that Siliguri is an upcoming center of attraction in this part of the country. You cannot have a bunch of cafes coming up with original Live musical weekends.

Even if some are trying, but they end up in playing Badshah or Honey Singh numbers at the end of the day. Music bands originating from Siliguri are also having the similar feelings. Pupun Mandal, one of the prominent musicians from Siliguri and member of MO2 band of Siliguri said “Yes, I am hopeful but little time is required. We from MO2 have performed in some live band cafes of Siliguri and I do feel that crowd wants Hindi numbers than the Western Jazz or Metal. We understand that in Pubs and Café’s the soothing numbers makes a difference, but when we play a Hindi number from Bollywood, the audience goes berserk. Thus, the more similar request comes in. Amidst that, we try to make those into some rock numbers. Well, of course, that’s only the creativity of ours”.

Talking to Mr. Debasish Dutta, one of the members of a Siliguri-based Orchestra group, who often have the shows in almost every evening in most of the restaurants and pubs of Siliguri told TNI “Siliguri audience is yet to accept Band music in Pubs, they are well versed with loud music in restaurants and consider music in a pub like discotheque. However, the live band concept is new and will take time to adjust. If successful, then it will be a big opportunity for the musicians of this place, who are regularly lost in the oblivion”.

Speaking on the issue Siliguri’s musician Rajat Biswas, said “This isn’t Kolkata to be more precise. You can’t have the likes of Trincas, Some Place Else, Gossip, Ambrosia, Cecil etc, the well known live music restaurants of Kolkata here in Siliguri and get the blast. Those are having a class audience and bands like Parikrama, Krosswindz Skinny Alley, Hip Pocket, Lou Majaw, Perestroika, Indian Ocean, and Underground Authority are having contracts with them throughout the year. Well, of course, the concept is new, let the audience gulp it then there is a debate”.

Lastly, we spoke with one of the senior and the most experienced rock musicians of Siliguri Mr. Salim John Sadiq or popularly known as Salim. He said “In a no rock music land if a little opportunity comes up. One has to start from the scrap. I am into the music for decades from the musicians’ point of view, of course, I would give a big hug to the organizers back for at least germinating the seed here. On the contrary, the economic output may not be comparable to live shows yet the alternative way of growth to recognition may not be too far for the musicians from this place”. Nevertheless, this might be showing a positive outlook for the rock music or the popular music but one must say Siliguri may be on a next step on a different genre of music platform.

Photos: Hi Spirits Cafe and Pub, Lion Bar
Inputs from R. Subrata (TNI Siliguri) & Snigdha Som (TNI Siliguri)