Delhi/Kohima, Nov. 24: Mentioned only in news channels ? and mostly for the wrong reasons ? Nagaland is hoping to make headlines with some music for a change.

The emergence of several good rock bands from Nagaland has encouraged the state government to contemplate setting up a music academy in Kohima. On Tuesday, four such bands ? Wave, Suffering Souls, DGP Band and Abiogenesis ? belted out foot-tapping music for over two hours at the sprawling Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, the venue of the ongoing India International Trade Fair.

?Nagas are already westernised, and dance and music are a way of life for us. We are promoting music as an industry because it possesses vast potential for employment,? Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said.

He announced plans to organise district-level competitions to unearth talented musicians.

The chief minister and the two MPs from the state, W.W. Konyak and T.R. Zeliang, were among the audience at Tuesday?s gig.

The quartet of Naga bands not only did cover versions of popular hits by Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and Smokie, but also played their own rock, blues and pop compositions. Impressed by their performance, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is making arrangements for these bands to perform at Cafe Morrison, located at South Extension.

Nagaland House will host another show on Saturday. Similar gigs are being planned in the other metros.

CII officials said the immediate objective was to convince major music companies like Sa Re Ga Ma and Times Music to offer contracts to the bands. The artistes will be taken to Mumbai in February for a buyer-seller meet where the contracts are expected to be signed.

CII deputy director R. Vaithiyanathan, who attended the Pragati Maidan show, said western music bands from the Northeast were comparable to the best in the country. ?The difference is that they (Northeast bands) do not get the necessary exposure. Our role is to bridge the gap,? he said,

Such encouragement is music to the ears of Theja Meru, the accomplished vocalist behind Wave. He said the Nagaland government and the CII?s efforts could lead to big breaks for bands from the state.

?It is an incredible venture and a timely one,? said Meru, who started a small restaurant to provide a platform to talented musicians.

?Personally, I see some of us on MTV or Channel V by 2006,? he added with a smile.

Moa Ao, the husky voiced cop from DGP Band, sounded equally excited. ?Me and my bandmates have long nurtured a dream to cut our own album. I see that being fulfilled now.?