Petra frontman John Schlitt is all set to arrive in Dimapur on November 17. After the Dimapur show, he will be performing in Kohima on the 19th. Tagged as “The Greater Cause” concert, this is the title of John Schlitt’s fourth solo album. Also to share the stage with Schlitt is reigning Naga Orpheus (formerly The Naga Idol), Z. Renbeni Odyuo who will be a regular feature the whole duration of the tour. Also, newly formed Alo Wanth Band will be the opening act for the Dimapur and Kohima concerts.
For those of you, curious on knowing the people behind making this show happen, here’s the dynamic Metro Team in a tete-a-tete conversation with The Morung Express.
MEx: Can you brief us a bit about Metro Team and the people involved with a brief background.
Metro Team: (Chumthungo Odyuo) Venturing out in production (music, painting and literature) business was just a dream. It was way back in 2004, upon completing my master in leadership and administration program, I had the privilege to explore the entire north east. As I travel across and meeting with the youths, I observed that there are still untapped resources where one could venture out- Music, Paintings and writings; But the question was” where to start??
I have the privilege to interact with quite a lot of talented and professional who are into music, painting and writing in order to identify the need so that one day the music industry in India will be flourished. As I begin to share the idea of start up to few individual who shares the same vision finally, the mere idea which was existed in my mind for seven year shaped into life in April, 2011 when three of us (Chumthungo Odyuo, Subenthung M. Tungoe and Zanben Odyuo) came together and put the idea and plan into writings. Today we have great team across India who not only inspires us but also a great folks who came forward to support and invest in terms of men power and finance to fulfill the vision.
Currently, we are six of us who are tirelessly running the entire company- a team who runs from production to sales and marketing. Out of six, three of us are based in Dimapur one Annie Kikon working a part time is based in Kohima; Shekhar Das is based in Calcutta and another one in Mumbai who would be joining us very soon.
MEx: Is Metro Team based outside Nagaland? We read that you plan on hosting exhibitions of art and paintings, music and book fair in metro cities and also the concerts are to be held at Mumbai, Pune etc. Could you please clarify?
Metro Team: Office of the metro team is located at Riverbelt Colony in Dimapur, Nagaland. Five years from now, metro team will have a kind of office show Room either in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Calcutta being the first one to inaugurate in November this year. We already have a fulltime staff in Calcutta and two more staff will be joining soon for Mumbai and Aizawl.
Yes, Metro team is venturing out this project with other team in all the metro cities. As mentioned earlier, our team manages to raise a good number of investor from respective venues. So it’s a kind of sharing the cost on 50/50 basis for running this show.
In regard to exhibitions of paintings, music and book fair, we do take up mass production owning some books and music albums of regional and local artist. In fact, this coming October, we will be lunching one novel titled “Gift for some one Special” by Thunjgamo Khuvung who is a prolific writer and another EP release of Alo Wanth Band. So we will be outsourcing our products like Album, books and painting to all the metro cities.
MEx: MT talks about a vision to help the potential artists, writers, and painters to outsource their talents and to create a platform for them. How do you aim to achieve that?
Metro Team: Yes, we have good networking with event management and marketing group, creativity, live sound in all the metro cities. A good folks from different cities are coming up to invest with us so this is a good start up. And we will also be working on to start Publication, Recording studio and Art gallery for painter also recruiting and training more in production, marketing and promotion. We will be doing regular event like mega tour with our local band in collaboration with other leading music promoter in India. Our mission is to revolutionize the music and art industries in India five years from now that every one will enjoy this as their call and career for life time.
MEx: Why the focus on gospel concerts?
Metro Team: Yes, it sounds like only gospel. We see like the whole market is flowing with secular songs regardless of genre. But when it comes to a song that communicates with meaning and purpose to life we see little or not at all in the market; why people are not interested in gospel music when secular songs are everywhere?? I believe we shy away from publicity and promotion? A block buster album like MLRT, Bryan Adam and many others become successful in selling album even in Nagaland and Mr. Big concert because of promotion and publicity long back.
To mention few world class gospels Band like Divine Connections deserve equal treat in our state which is predominantly Christian as the Indian idol concert came out with huge success last year. So is Alobo Naga and the Band, Alo Wanth Band and many other.
MEx: What kind of response are you expecting from people to John Schlitt?
Metro Team: Many people may not know John Schlitt especially the younger one but almost all his solo album and Petra songs are well known which is sung by almost all the age group. In fact many of the all time favorite songs like “Just Reach out” “Beyond belief” St. Augustine Pears and “There is some one” would be performing live. Definitely, this visit is going to be memorable one for John Schlitt and even for Nagaland, we do not know if John Schlitt will ever back here for live performance. And we already know the turn up for Kohima, Dimapur, Shillong and Guwahati is going to be great. Nagaland and Shillong have set the target for record breaking show being a Christian dominated state.
MEx: How is the show going to be “different” from the multitude of concerts that we have almost every month.
Metro Team: Yes, this concert is not just going to be a performance. There is a purpose! The message is very simple and clear. And every team involves for this event be the crowd, the organizers or the performer have one thing in mind that is working around the purpose. And what each of us needed at this point of time is . . . “STAY FOCUS PRESS ON AND FULFILL THE VISION”. Come and be a part of this event, you will enjoy every part of this show!
For those of you, curious on knowing the people behind making this show happen, here’s the dynamic Metro Team in a tete-a-tete conversation with The Morung Express.
MEx: Can you brief us a bit about Metro Team and the people involved with a brief background.
Metro Team: (Chumthungo Odyuo) Venturing out in production (music, painting and literature) business was just a dream. It was way back in 2004, upon completing my master in leadership and administration program, I had the privilege to explore the entire north east. As I travel across and meeting with the youths, I observed that there are still untapped resources where one could venture out- Music, Paintings and writings; But the question was” where to start??
I have the privilege to interact with quite a lot of talented and professional who are into music, painting and writing in order to identify the need so that one day the music industry in India will be flourished. As I begin to share the idea of start up to few individual who shares the same vision finally, the mere idea which was existed in my mind for seven year shaped into life in April, 2011 when three of us (Chumthungo Odyuo, Subenthung M. Tungoe and Zanben Odyuo) came together and put the idea and plan into writings. Today we have great team across India who not only inspires us but also a great folks who came forward to support and invest in terms of men power and finance to fulfill the vision.
Currently, we are six of us who are tirelessly running the entire company- a team who runs from production to sales and marketing. Out of six, three of us are based in Dimapur one Annie Kikon working a part time is based in Kohima; Shekhar Das is based in Calcutta and another one in Mumbai who would be joining us very soon.
MEx: Is Metro Team based outside Nagaland? We read that you plan on hosting exhibitions of art and paintings, music and book fair in metro cities and also the concerts are to be held at Mumbai, Pune etc. Could you please clarify?
Metro Team: Office of the metro team is located at Riverbelt Colony in Dimapur, Nagaland. Five years from now, metro team will have a kind of office show Room either in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Calcutta being the first one to inaugurate in November this year. We already have a fulltime staff in Calcutta and two more staff will be joining soon for Mumbai and Aizawl.
Yes, Metro team is venturing out this project with other team in all the metro cities. As mentioned earlier, our team manages to raise a good number of investor from respective venues. So it’s a kind of sharing the cost on 50/50 basis for running this show.
In regard to exhibitions of paintings, music and book fair, we do take up mass production owning some books and music albums of regional and local artist. In fact, this coming October, we will be lunching one novel titled “Gift for some one Special” by Thunjgamo Khuvung who is a prolific writer and another EP release of Alo Wanth Band. So we will be outsourcing our products like Album, books and painting to all the metro cities.
MEx: MT talks about a vision to help the potential artists, writers, and painters to outsource their talents and to create a platform for them. How do you aim to achieve that?
Metro Team: Yes, we have good networking with event management and marketing group, creativity, live sound in all the metro cities. A good folks from different cities are coming up to invest with us so this is a good start up. And we will also be working on to start Publication, Recording studio and Art gallery for painter also recruiting and training more in production, marketing and promotion. We will be doing regular event like mega tour with our local band in collaboration with other leading music promoter in India. Our mission is to revolutionize the music and art industries in India five years from now that every one will enjoy this as their call and career for life time.
MEx: Why the focus on gospel concerts?
Metro Team: Yes, it sounds like only gospel. We see like the whole market is flowing with secular songs regardless of genre. But when it comes to a song that communicates with meaning and purpose to life we see little or not at all in the market; why people are not interested in gospel music when secular songs are everywhere?? I believe we shy away from publicity and promotion? A block buster album like MLRT, Bryan Adam and many others become successful in selling album even in Nagaland and Mr. Big concert because of promotion and publicity long back.
To mention few world class gospels Band like Divine Connections deserve equal treat in our state which is predominantly Christian as the Indian idol concert came out with huge success last year. So is Alobo Naga and the Band, Alo Wanth Band and many other.
MEx: What kind of response are you expecting from people to John Schlitt?
Metro Team: Many people may not know John Schlitt especially the younger one but almost all his solo album and Petra songs are well known which is sung by almost all the age group. In fact many of the all time favorite songs like “Just Reach out” “Beyond belief” St. Augustine Pears and “There is some one” would be performing live. Definitely, this visit is going to be memorable one for John Schlitt and even for Nagaland, we do not know if John Schlitt will ever back here for live performance. And we already know the turn up for Kohima, Dimapur, Shillong and Guwahati is going to be great. Nagaland and Shillong have set the target for record breaking show being a Christian dominated state.
MEx: How is the show going to be “different” from the multitude of concerts that we have almost every month.
Metro Team: Yes, this concert is not just going to be a performance. There is a purpose! The message is very simple and clear. And every team involves for this event be the crowd, the organizers or the performer have one thing in mind that is working around the purpose. And what each of us needed at this point of time is . . . “STAY FOCUS PRESS ON AND FULFILL THE VISION”. Come and be a part of this event, you will enjoy every part of this show!
