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| Sunday, 9 November 2003 |
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Witches, warlocks, wizards, unhindered spirits, vampires and all who were a little hungry stood in awe of the sounds that tore the whispering silence of the Procart Centre. The date was the October 25, the event was the Rock Company Halloween Gig, and a bash it certainly was. The venue was electrifying, being decorated in tatter's of white tapestries completed with abstract assaults of blood red. Pumpkin heads lay on the stage platform; their hideous faces illuminating the fiery candle light. But leaving aside the decor the talent projected by all ranging from the most experienced to the freshmen of the Sri Lankan rock 'n roll circuit, was nothing short of magical. The haunting night's entertainment opened with this years winner of the TNL On Stage solo category; Dilon Jayakody. This folk playing artist introduced a style that was a fitting beginning to the contrasting sounds that were due later on. The debut performance by the newest Punk teen sensation Roots of Paranoia was an eye raiser indeed. Their penchant for originality and their up tempo catchy hard rocking tunes brought to mind a true punk band in the making. Then came one of the major highlights of the night. The Gothic masters Stone Broke took to the stage, complete with face paint and make up that complemented their dark/moody sounds. A well welcomed return with a new drummer saw Stone Broke throwing unbelievable energy to the audience with their originals that included the popular smash 'What You Are'. Alternative giants Independent Square played to a large pumped up rock gathering. Originals 'Poison on a tray' and 'Come on Over' stood out marking their territory as Sri Lanka's alternative greats. Whirlwind played next displaying a unique sound and style that merged Fusion Hard Rock with Nu Metal. The band was tight, coordinating spectacularly with each other proving that they are a young force worth any ones reckoning. A debut album is expected sometime in December that will feature six Sinhala rock songs and a mix of their captivating originals. Metal had its third tribute that night with the talented Soul Skinner. These guys play Heavy Metal with shameless passion and have some superb songs of their own. Apart from a noteworthy performance and a very powerful depiction of musical expression of their own they played tight cover versions of Iced Earth's 'Dark Saga' and Iron Maiden's 'Hallowed be thy name' to an eager crowd. Kandy's Grunge super sensation Paranoid Earthling played a stunning set of seven songs that included six originals and one cover of Jim Hendrix. 'Pull me under', 'The Highway' and 'Bringing Down the Sun' caught the crowds by their necks and stirred the mosh pit wild. Sri Lanka's leading Metal machine Stigmata ripped out with an original 'Harvest of Sin' and clawed the audience into a frenzy with six others that included popular tracks 'Thicker Than Blood', 'Andura' and the mammoth 'Stigmatized'. The band displayed a new composition 'Forgiven/Forgotten' that stamped their complex/Metal attack and showed their undisputed love for Thrash/Power and Speed Metal. Rock fans were further surprised to witness the Rock Company jam session resurrected for Classic Rock lovers where musicians of different vintage clasped hands to perform a few classic Rock songs to end the day. The next Rock Saturday event called "November Rain" will be held on Saturday November 22 at the Procart centre at Millennium Park with seven sizzling rock bands to mesmerize the crowd. - Merlin of the Rock Age |
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