For many years, Shillong has nurtured all types of music, including its very own live music scene. But with time, the visibility of local bands performing on stage has been diminishing.

Keeping this in mind, Rockski Group, an event promoter, decided it was time not only to create a platform for aspiring musicians but to “recover the live music scene” in this part of the country.

Rockski, formed in 2009, aims at promoting indigenous activities of Meghalaya in the field of music, culture and others. It has organised events so that people, especially from abroad, coming to this part of the world get a clearer picture of the state’s rich culture and heritage.

“We tried approaching the government several times for assistance but we always got a ‘no’ for an answer,” said Jason Manners, founder/owner of Rockski.

He said last year, the state government came up with a musical concert or a “show” on its own. Entry was free for the general public and the unique feature in any government-sponsored programme especially music, is that the same band performs over and over again, he added.

“For a city like Shillong, we need new bands for every concert. In 2013, we studied the market and when we got a chance, we spoke with the owner of Hotel Centre Point to lend us a venue at the famous Cloud 9 for doing a show with live bands every Friday night,” Jason said.
 

When t2 entered Cloud 9 on a Friday night, Shillong’s very own Summersalt was performing.

“Our songs (both in Khasi and English) attempt to raise questions on social issues, our instruments are a mix of standards and some less-known home tools of the Khasi community. We call our music TransFusion,” Summersalt vocalist Kit Shangpliang said.

“Salt is a concept, salt is a preservative and salt gives taste. At a time where the culture of trust and values is dwindling, what Summersalt believes in will hopefully make a difference,” Shangpliang added.

The Shillong-based band has already embarked on a musical journey that allows them to experiment. From rap and rock to elements of jazz and the energy of indigenous music sitting on the lap of the Khasi hills, Summersalt has crisscrossed genres.

One of the numbers the band performed was Acid Out, which goes like this — “There might be some acid in that brain/It could possibly drive all of us insane/The time is now to barricade/Get ourselves out from that circle of hate/If there’s any cancer of the soul, please bear/If there’s any love, any good left, please share/We are the future and we want to learn/Learn fast before good men would’ve gone...Get that acid out of your system/With some detoxification, may be some green tea/Get that acid out of your system...”
 

Summersalt comprises Ador on duitara (Khasi string instrument) and keyboards, Greg on electric guitar, Pynsuk (vocals), on vocals and acoustic guitar by Kit, Weet on drums and percussion and Baiaineh on bass guitar.
Manners said Cloud 9 was a platform where artistes could showcase their talents and earn at the same time. He said ever since the event kicked off in June, it has gotten bigger and better every week and people from different walks of life come to Cloud 9 to hear to some of the city’s finest musicians.

“We started this in June where we brought in bands from in and around the state to play a two-hour set. In fact, we try to get one outstation band every month,” he said.

“We had local bands like Dosser’s Urge, 4th Element, Blue Temptation, Empirical Tribe and Summersalt, and outstation bands like Madboy/Mink, an electro-cabaret musical band from Mumbai, a Calcutta rock band called Ganesh Talkies, which fuses Bollywood elements with its music and others,” the Rockski owner said.

One of the foreigners at the venue when asked about the uniqueness of bands here, said, “We have been to many musical events in India and what defines bands from here is their capability to infuse indigenous elements. We were surprised when the vocalist started singing — their English is so fluent.”

“We loved Summersalt and how they combined traditional style with their music,” he added.

Manners said the government should take the initiative to set up an agency, which deals only in music, whether traditional or modern. He spoke of a similar initiative called the YRF Music Task Force that is funded by the Nagaland government with an objective to promote music in that state.