Seven Bands From The North East To Perform For A Fundraising Concert, 7×7, This Week

Titled 7 x 7, the concert that is being held for the first time in Delhi will showcase seven genres with seven bands, each from one state in the North East. All girl rock act Afflatus from Meghalaya, folk fusion act Abiogenesis from Nagaland, post punk act The Vinyl Records from Arunachal Pradesh, Classic/folk rock band Axis from Assam, pop rockers Frisky Pints from Mizoram, rapper Borkung Hrangkhawl from Tripura and heavy metal act Alien Conspiracy Theory from Manipur will all take stage for 7 x 7, which is also being planned as a concert series that will kick off next year across the North East.

It’s more than just a regular concert for the artists performing since the North East has seen an alarming rise in drug abuse, which has also led to an increased risk of contracting HIV and Hepatitis. For some of the artists such as Delhi rapper Hrangkhawl, the concert’s theme hits closer home. Says the rapper who wrote the track “Power” for the 7 x 7 compilation that was released in July, “My own uncle was addicted and is currently under recovery and my song is themed on that.” Frisky Pints’ bassist, Danny Lalrindika  adds, “We wrote a song on this theme called “Straight from the heart” for the album. It’s a track where the family reaches out to the addict and tells him that they will be there for him and that he won’t be alone.”

BASIC, which works with youth on networking, advocacy, fundraising and event organizing, came up with the idea of 7 x 7 in April this year. Says BASIC’s project manager Elvis Khevito Lee, “Drug use is growing quite rapidly and we saw that when we spoke with people from a few places in Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. With the golden triangle (Burma, Laos and Thailand) in the proximity, drugs are traveling in and out through the NE making it cheap and easily available. This is causing a surge in drug use, HIV and hepatitis with very less awareness, which calls out for events like this.”

The 7 x 7 compilation will be released later this year. Adds Lee, “We are considering starting the North East series from Imphal sometime in March or April next year.”

7×7 will be held at Dusshera Grounds, Dr Mukherji Nagar, New Delhi on the 2^nd of November.
Passes will be available in the form of donation cards in the denominations of Rs 100, 200 and 500.