Unplugged, but in tune for AIDS awareness

43 BANDS FROM NORTH AND EAST DISTRICTS AUDITION FOR RED RIBBON UNPLUGGED CONTEST
GANGTOK, 20 Jan: The first round of auditions for the Red Ribbon Unplugged Contest-2013 concluded here at NH 31-A Studio, Deorali, yesterday with a total of 20 bands from the North and East districts qualifying for the second round of this annual musical extravaganza aimed at generating wider awareness on HIV and AIDS.
A total of 43 bands from the North and East districts had registered for the contest out of which 24 bands auditioned yesterday. Only 20 bands from the 24 have been given the go-ahead by the judges to compete in the next round.
It may be informed that the winners of the Red Ribbon Unplugged contest will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, while the second and third runners-up will receive Rs 50,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively. The winner of the contest also has the option to choose between the cash prize and a package that has an album recording contract with Viacom Studio, Mumbai and the making of a video album that will be directed by local film maker, Prashant Rasaily.
The Red Ribbon Unplugged 2013 is part of Red Fest under the Multi Media Campaign that is being sponsored by the Sikkim State Aids Control Society (SSACS) and is being organized by Serenity Home, rehabilitation and detoxification centre, Gangtok. Auditions for the same is being held at two venues, for the East and North districts in Gangtok and for the South and West districts at Karfectar, Jorethang.
The quarter finals of the contest will be held on 02 February at Gangtok, the semi finals will be held at Municipal Hall, Namchi on 09 February and the finals will be held at Manan Kendra, Gangtok on 17 February.
The judges for the Red Ribbon Unplugged are SK Pradhan, Albert Gurung and Niki Rai who are judging the contestants in three categories, the first being vocals under which the judges will evaluate their tone, diction and lyrics clarity, secondly the judges are looking at the overall balance of the contestants where once again the band’s vocal output, guitars, drums and keys will be tested. The last category where the judges will evaluate the participants will be on the overall presentation.
The participants will not make use of any electrical guitars including gadgets in their presentation because the competition is unplugged. However, the judges and the organizers have allowed one electric bass guitar and a synthesizer on piano mode to all participants. Instruments like tabla, violin, congo and thumba along with acoustic guitars with pick-ups have been allowed.  
It may also be informed that for the West and South districts, a total of 15 bands and solo artists have registered for the auditions slated for 26 January at Jorethang.
The twenty bands to make it to the next round from Gangtok are Arch Angels, Perfect Encounter, Lazy Fingers, Cloud Canyon, Off-Strings, 80’s Engine, Silent Soul, Reverb, Secret Union, Milestone, Smaran, Purple Hertz, Road House Invasion, Atonals, Ban Jhakri Rejects, Heroes of Faith, Sanskriti band, B-Tunes, Butt Punch and Suspended Animation.