An eclectic range of around 40 musical performances have been planned for the Fête de la Musique (FdlM) at Hauz Khas Village on June 21, which is the World Music Day. The FdlM is an international music movement, pioneered by former French culture Minister and eminent socialist Jack Lang in 1981.
For its third edition hosted at bars at the village, organised jointly by the Hauz Khas Village Traders Association (HKVTA) and the Alliance Française de Delhi (AFD), outdoor performances have been scrapped. Getting music on to the streets is the original goal of the FdlM. “The outdoor space is limited and creates congestion,” HKVTA president Satinder Sarna told this paper.
Last year, Mr. Sarna estimates that around 7,000 people came for the performances. “There was hardly place to stand with people hopping restaurants to catch concerts right into the night until the police closed the place down,” he added. While restaurants like Caffeine would start performances at 1-30 p.m., the 20 other odd watering holes will host the bands from 8-30 p.m. to 12-30 p.m.
The AFD has played the role of a catalyst without imposing any strings of playing only French music at the festival, their head of culture Mitushi Khurana told The Hindu . “The bars have the freedom to choose the bands they want. Since we are in touch with many musicians, we help them up whenever asked and also publicise the event. There will be all sorts of musicians, both amateur and professional,” she added.
Some of the bands include the Spanish Red Mawkin and DJ Miki, The Belgian Embassy Choir, and funk and progressive rock bands such as Soul’d Out and Five 8. The Belgian Embassy Choir, led by their Consul Cécile Thoen, has a performance titled Around the World at Out of the Box pub at 9 p.m.
“We will sing songs like ABBA’s Guadalupe, which talks about places and countries. Our choir performs modern songs that people know about and not just church hymns,” Ms. Theon, who is also in a jazz trio, which will perform at Amour restaurant at 10-30 p.m., said.
“We prefer singing indoors as choirs are about the feeling and the mood. Jazz is also something which you can enjoy late when its dark and you’re sipping your whisky thinking about love lost and love that you will find,” she added.
The embassy choir started out a group activity for Belgian expatriates; something that was more rewarding “than meeting over Belgian beer”, as Ms. Theon puts it. “But at the end of the show when everyone is clapping the feeling is so great that it transports you,” she said.
The Fete continues the following day at The Lalit on Barakhamba Road where DJ Missill will perform at Kitty Su after 10 p.m. Unlike the free-entry for Hauz Khas events, this would be free only for women, while men will have to pay Rs.2,000 as cover charges.
