Frequent gigs can help metal music revival

Speakers say internet is currently the only forum where they reach out to the people.

LAHORE: Metal music has a considerable following in the country. However, a lack of concerts is preventing budding musicians from marketing their work to the people, Hassan Umer, a vocalist with the band Multinational Corporations, said on Sunday.

He was speaking at a session on metal music on the concluding day of the Lahore Music Meet.

Umer said gigs were held regularly at Alhamra Hall until early 2000s where metal musicians also participated. He said this had created a vibrant metal music scene in the city. He said if concerts were held more frequently, metal music could again become popular amongst the people.

“We need regular opportunities to play our music. That’s the only way metal music can have a future here,” he said.

Zain Peerzada, a guitarist with Keeray Makoray and Takatak bands, referred to the Islamabad-based metal music festival and said that similar events could be started in other cities.  He said metal music had yet to reach out to a diverse audience. “Our shows attract small crowds. We are mostly playing for the same kind of audience” he said.

He said he had been trying to release an album for three years now. However, he said, there were not many people who would sponsor the endeavour. He lamented the dearth of studios where they could record their music.

At the moment, he said, internet was the only forum where metal music bands could reach out to the people.

Altamash Sever, a vocalist for Keeray Makoray band, was the other speaker at the session that started with one-and-a-half-hour delay. He said he was drawn to metal music after watching the 2003 hollywood movie School of Rock.

Peerzada and Umer had mentioned Iron Maiden and Judas Priest as their inspirations.

The speakers said the response of the audience to metal music was diverse. Peerzada recalled an instance when a group of boys had started performing luddi during one of his performances.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2015.