“Justice Rocks is a protest music event. It is very unique in its programming because, while most concerts have sponsors, who they have to sing praises about, here the artistes perform for free, at a free venue,” explains Sofia Ashraf, a regular performer at the concert. Sofia, who shot to fame after her ‘Kodaikanal Won’t’ video — a rap protest against the mercury contamination in the hill station — garnered over three lakh views, says this was her first performance platform back in 2008.
Now, the same team behind the video, Vettiver Collective, organises the eighth edition of the Justice Rocks concert in the city. The platform has seen performances by bands like The F16s, La Pongal and Yodhakaa, offering music with a point of view. “We take any corporate body or entity that has been violating government laws or affecting the environment, and lampoon their actions,” says Sofia, adding that despite the tone of the event, it is a fun evening of music, theatre and stand-up comedy. The idea, she explains, is to use performing arts to spread awareness about these issues.
“It helped me in a lot of ways, because I was a sheltered child and was not socially and environmentally aware. This opened my eyes to issues that had gone past my radar.” Her music, she says, now has an opinion.
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Since the bands that perform should be informed about the issues they take on as much as the organisers, it also proves to be an educative space. “A month ago, I was a very strong capitalist with pro-consumerist and industrialist leanings. But working with people with different ideologies, opened up discussions, moulded ideas and helped us arrive at points of convergence.”
The platform, however, is not meant for professional bands. “It is essentially khadi rock, so we invite new bands and provide them with a platform to perform,” says Sofia. The collective identifies influencers in musicians and comedians, who already have an audience, and makes them ask questions. The performances, apart from being entertaining, are also sure to get people thinking.
This year’s show will open with Sofia’s band, Mallipoo & the Alwas, followed by performances by Tamil rock band Kurangan, instrumental Vishnu R Collective, acoustic Sid Hande and the Drama, and stand-up acts by Bhargav Prasad and Shyam Renganathan, and much more.
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The Justice Rocks concert will be held on October 3 (6.30 p.m.) at Spaces. Entry is free. For details, call 9840987186.