Hornbill International Rock Contest 2017 holds audition for Nagaland

Gugs Chishi with Live Now Event team and media persons after press conference. (Morung Photo)

  Nagaland audition for the forthcoming Hornbill International Rock Contest 2017 took place today at Regional Centre of Excellence for Music & Performing Arts (RCEMPA) at Jotsoma.   Six local bands who auditioned for the HIRC 2017 includes; The Great Decade (Mokokchung), Switchblade (Kohima), Radiocity (Kohima), Yellow Beacon (Dimapur), Sweven (Pfutsero) and Kenny and the Faith Band (Kohima).   Addressing a press conference before the start of the audition, Music Task Force director Gugs Chishi said the result will be announced on Monday.   Judges for today’s state audition includes Thejove, former guitarist of Tribal Instinct, Bendang Kichu, drummer of Divine Connection and Fung Walling, bassist of Alobo Naga and The Band.   Chishi said three slots will be given to the local bands for this year’s edition. While he further informed that there is also a chance of opening up wild card entries to local bands, but this will be decided only after the final list of the selected bands.   Altogether, 25 bands will be part of the HIRC 2017. This year HIRC will be managed by Live Now Events.   The Hornbill International Rock Contest and music festival, organised by the Music Task Force, Government of Nagaland is part of the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland.   The Contest will take place at Hockey Ground, Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima from December 5 to 8.   The winner will win a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh while Ist runners- up will get Rs. 5 lakh. The 2nd runners-up will earn Rs. 3.5 lakh.   There will also be individual prizes.   The entries for outside bands ended on October 27 at 12 PM, however, the exact number of outside bands for the HIRC will be known only after some days, it was informed.   Hornbill International Music Festival 2017 will commence on December 1 evening at Dimapur’s DDSC stadium with the presence of a guest band from Mumbai and will continue till Dec. 10 at Hockey Ground, IG Stadium, the main venue for the HIMF 2017.   Chishi expressed high hope that through the HIMF and HIRC, they will be able to tap the talents of the upcoming musicians in the state.   “This is the platform where Naga musicians to rub shoulders with national and international musicians. The platform is also to encourage and introduce our home grown musicians and also the amateur musicians who definitely deserve space to showcase their talents,” Chishi asserted adding that “the platform provided through HIMF and HIRC will show the rest of the world, the quality and talents of the Naga musicians.”   The final schedule of the entire music festival will only be known after the coordination meeting with the Chief Minister on October 30, Chishi said.

(Morung Express News)