The Ladakh Confluence Report: Day 3

One thing everyone must know about Ladakh is that besides it being our closest proximity to the roof of the world, it can also test the roofs of your patience. So day three at Sindhu Darshan Grounds, took the longest to start. It was 5pm, and we were still not done wasting ourselves in the now-dying-heat on the supposed panic healing tents. But things did get a headstart when post Mahesh Vinaykram’s vocal session, Shaa’ir + Func took to the Nyima stage. After the previous evening’s full show, the electric pop duo sat on the monitors of the acoustic stage and plugged out their electronic groove. They sang unplugged and were joined on stage by Rodney Branigan, Lindsay D’Mello on percussion and Anand Bhagat from Tribal Flora on djembe. The eclectic poetry, coupled by rare acoustic string jams gave Shaa’ir+Func a whole new dimension. A flush of new emotion with the sounds bouncing off the mountain peaks,’ Swirl’, ‘Government’ and ‘Juxtapose’ sounded incendiary. Their set got extended and there were covers from Depeche Mode, Basement Jaxx and Guns ‘N Roses to follow. The little hamlet wouldn’t let them get off stage.

Soulmate followed as crowd populars and pleasers, with the Skarma stage finally getting power back. The blues reverberated through each track and ‘Voodoo Woman’ and ‘Blues In My Soulmate’ finally made one feel part of a music fest. They lived up to the hype and the locals finally filled the crowd. A bit of a dampner was Swiss and Gujarati tribal project, Gateways taking to the stage. After an awkward soundcheck, the collective managed to skim through its set.

As on day two, Robert Narian’s Drum Circle drew the crowd in. I must say, we all were getting better with our beats. And finally followed a rhythm. At least we attempted ‘We Will Rock You’. But while the stage largely eluded the crowd, musicians got little jam corners revving. Off crowd jams were strewn all over the green field. A hangdrum here, a guitar jam there. The mountains and needless to say, the questionable substances and the much scattered shows were finally sowing the inspiration in. At least we all sang our own songs.

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