Strawberry Fields is back! The student organisers from National Law School, Bangalore, have issued the following update. Read on…
“For the past twelve years, there has been a three day music festival organized by a college in the country that has stood up for raw, unbridled, original music long before the rest of the musical festivals in the country have followed suit and shared the same cry. In fact, it was the crave for original music that first led a bunch of law students to start this journey in the first place. This is a festival where, for more than a decade, every band has the right to use the platform designed to select the very best. This is a festival where new bands are born. This is a festival where music – of every shade and hue – have comfortably found their place right next to each other. This is the festival where the bullshit is kept aside and the band, and the needs of the band come before everything else with the people behind the festival going out of their way, every year, to see the music come alive.
We, the students of National Law School of India University, are happy to announce that Strawberry Fields 2009 will be happening this year from the 20th to 22nd November 2009. The last day, i.e. the 22nd of November (Sunday) shall feature the five best bands as well as a headlining act by one of the biggest professional bands in the country. Performing bands have a chance to perform before a crowd of at least 7,000 people, supported by top-of-the-range sound systems and the latest in Pearl drum kits provided by us. The Prize Money given in 2006 was the highest paid at any College or other Music Fest in the country.
For this is where Angeldust lived its reputation. This is where Thermal and a Quarter broke loose. This is where Mojo wove its magic. This is where Kryptos stamped its class only to be eventually outshone by an ethereal Buddha’s Babies. This is where Pin Drop Violence became a cherished memory for what could have been. This is where Zebediah Plush ‘grew’ up. This is where Medicis announced itself over a rampaging Myndsnare. This is where Rainbow Bridge played its blues, for the first time. This is where Garage Monsters Inc. became a promise. This is where Bhayanak Maut set the standards to sheer perfection, twice. This is where Junkyard Groove turned a boating song into funk rock beauty. This is where Demonic Resurrection brought the house down because they gave everything they had and more. This is where Slain established their pedigree.
We continue the usual format of having two competitive categories, i.e. College and Semi-Professional, and there will be a massive treasure trove of prizes to be won. The two categories only mean that, if you are registered as a ‘college band’ you will be eligible for the prize of Best College Band; however you will be competing with the semi-professional bands as well for the Grand Prize of being adjudged as the ‘Winner Strawberry Fields 2009’. The time slots for each band during the preliminary rounds will 25 minutes, from stage to stage.
Registration for Strawberry Fields 2009 will officially open on November 1, so please register soon and reserve your spot at SF’ 09, while you can still get one. The process for registration is very simple. You fill in the details of your band and send us an email regarding your entry to us on strawberryfields.nls@gmail.com; alternatively you can post it to us along with the registration fee.
The registration fee this year is Rs. 700 per band. The charges for accommodation will be Rs. 200 per person per day. Transport will be provided, if requested for, from the train/bus station to the accommodation arranged by us, as well as to and from the venue itself. All fees and charges are to be paid in advance. The drafts are to be sent in the name of “SBA (Legala)” and all such are to be sent to the following address with the title “Registration for Strawberry Fields” on the covering envelope. –
The Convener,
Event Management Committee,
Student Bar Association,
National Law School of India University,
Nagarbhavi, Bangalore – 560 242
Alternately the fee can be handed over in person to any of the undersigned. We would prefer cash payments as Outstation cheques often take very long to clear.
For Registration or any other details all emails are to be sent to strawberryfields.nls@gmail.com.
Last year, i.e. SF ’08, we had to close registration two weeks prior to the event. We can only allot fifty bands at the event, therefore we will be confirming only those bands that have mailed in all their details and have paid their ‘registration fees’. So we urge you to send in your details and confirm registration for Strawberry Fields 2009 by paying the registration fees at the earliest.
Taking forward the ‘Compilation CD’ initiative started last year, we will be bringing out an independent music CD which will be a compilation of the Best Bands who are going to play at Strawberry Fields 2009, this will be hopefully brought out by the time Strawberry Fields 2009 commences. Please note that there is no correlation between the songs/bands that are chosen for the said Music CD and the Strawberry Fields competition. The selection for the Music CD will be made by the Strawberry Fields Committee at NLSIU, whereas the competition itself on the three days will be judged by completely independent judges. Although the contribution of one of your tracks to the said CD is not a pre-condition to registration, please do mail in your best tracks along with your registration details and get them publicized through us for free. Please feel free to contact the undersigned anytime.
In the meanwhile we would advise all of you to join the Strawberry Fields Page on Facebook, so that you do not miss out on any of the latest developments or announcements relating to the show at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Strawberry-Fields/157307123918
Cheers,
Strawberry Fields Committee ’09
National Law School of India University
Bangalore”
November isn’t too far away, so bands… hurry! As for the rest of us, let’s hope we get some good headliners this time and not some overrated Shruti Hasan stuff again. That was disappointing, and here’s hinting to the organizers that we wouldn’t like that to happen again!
