Rock of Ages **
This group of seven doesn’t believe everything’s wrong with the world, and they want to spread the message the only way they can, with a sprinkling of pop, rock and reggae. They are part of Delhi’s newest music band, Acts of the Apostles, which formally takes birth today with its first live gig. “Our topics and themes are drawn from everyday lives. Our songs are about how parents can often be difficult and how sometimes a tough relationship can turn into deep love. Of course, all topics will have a spiritual dimension,” says Deekshit Sebastian, coordinator with the music collective Jesus Youth Music Ministry, of which Acts of the Apostles is an offshoot. Band members Georlin Babu, a 26-year-old software engineer and guitarist, Edgar Faria, 20, who plays the bass guitar, keyboardist Ronald Joseph, 30, guitarist-keyboardist Sunny Dominic, 24, vocalists Timson Thomas, 21, Siny Maria Skaria, 20, and Ashish Rozario, who also plays the keyboard besides composing and mixing, have been practising for the past three months. They derive their influences from genres as far apart as Michael W Smith, Grammy Award-winning band Casting Crowns and AR Rahman. “We’re trying to experiment with styles like Rahman does. It would be complexity of a kind fusion music rarely experiments with,” says Rozario, adding that their first album will be launched in December. Despite being a catholic group, Acts of the Apostles sings for the secular audience. On Sunday, the band’s repertoire will include songs of praise and worship, wrapping in the lyrics, messages to the young audience. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rock-of-ages/479224/ -- regards, Vithur
