Battle of the Bands

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DJs and Dancers Were The Big Attraction
Independence Day is normally associated with traditional ceremonies and speeches where politicians and bureaucrats sing out their own praises, that is, if they are not busy taking jibes at their foes.  The people of Goa, however, decided to celebrate freedom in a way they know best – by partying! SLIPDISC once again played host to the Battle events, where musicians, singers, DJs and dancers came together to compete for the ultimate battle prize.
It has been 11 years since SLIPDISC first laid the platform for various artists to showcase their skills and compete on the big stage. What initially began as a concept to pull in crowds for live music has today evolved into a complete package of head-banging, dancing and crooning. Bob Marley once said the most beautiful thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain. The hundreds of youngsters who came to the party on Independence Day proved his words absolutely true.
As it usually happens in most parts of Goa, the holiday crowds took their time to assemble, but when they did it was a riot of sorts. The Battle of the DJs that kicked off the event saw nearly a dozen contestants spin and scratch as they got the crowd wild and dancing. DJ Anthony, DJ Yelston and DJ Pawann were adjudged the top three DJs for the night. “It is an incredible feeling to be acknowledged on this stage, since I have been working very hard for this moment and it was an absolute blast,” Anthony said. Danish and Yelston were seen jumping to the beats long after the competition was over – a testimony to the fact that for these professional artists, this was more than just the competition.
Much before the dance floor came alive, the crowd was treated to some soulful singing in the Battle of the Stars – a solo singing competition wherein contestants brought to life songs sung by Ronan Keating, Adele, Labyrinth, and others. With a voice as powerful as Adele’s and moves that would certainly impress Shakira, it wasn’t a surprise when Kris Saldanha was declared winner. Contestants Renea and Nikhil were named runners-up in the Battle of the Stars.
The Battle of the Bands, which was supposed to be the biggest event, in the end was not the day’s main attraction. Fewer bands participated than in previous years and, by admission of the event’s organizer Keith Fernandes, “the quality of the bands has gone down”. Still, five bands competed for the grand prize of Rs 10,000, including Ivory Trail, Magical Rhythms, Manual Transmissions and Infinites. In the end, a fine rock band called Inferno was adjudged the winner.
“The entries for the DJ & Group Dance events are becoming more popular. I mean, Goa has always been big on the DJ bit. But with so many dance/singing competitions on national TV these days, we are seeing many entries for these events. This year, we had 11 groups from all over Goa for the dance event,” explains Fernandes.
Indeed, the Battle of the Dance Floor provided for an epic climax with the crowd gathering around the troupes cheering them on. The dance groups didn’t let the crowds down at all, keeping the tempo up all throughout. “Just when you thought you had seen the best performance for the night, the next group would just come and blow your mind away. Very impressed and proud of the talent we have in Goa,” said one of the judges, Alister Gomes, who heads the Dance for Life dance academy.