First Performance

So we recently made our first stage performance in the freshers nite '08 at our college on 22nd August. And I gotta say it felt awesome to be on that stage. It was me(Lead Guitar \m/), Ranajeet (drums) and Hari (Vocals and rhythm guitar). At first I was a little scared. Not the usual kinda stage fear because I've been on stage a lot of times before, but it was the first time I was on stage with a guitar and I was doing something that really looked forward to. But thanks to the hours of practice which paid-off really well. We first started off with a sound check piece of Trust by Megadeth, then played Zephyr song-RHCP. This didn't raise our souls much but we had to give something to the non-metal listeners in the crowd. Then finally came the song that I once had tried so bad before to play on stage on acoustic but I guess it was supposed to be performed in a better way which happened that night. The song was Turn the Page as played by Metallica. And believe me on this it was awesome, the feeling of playing it there on the stage, everything was just as perfect as it could have been,including Hari's vocals, Ranajeet as usual the best at his drums and i'm surprised with this but even my guitar too :P. Though i have to blame the damn sound system guys who had really awful equipment. That's all what you expect from people who just cater to usual dance and music shows in the city, not the rock show type. All in all a good show. But that's not all folks.I was still to rock the evening, which I really doubt I did with the horrible playing. We were thinking of playing a surprise song in the end. Now I was too scared to do this because it was Master of Puppets by Metallica. Both the guys were asking me to do it but I was pretty unsure of it until before the show, even after practicing it 20 times. Guys seriously its not easy to play those riff's at that pace for a metal beginner like me. But after Turn the page I said, 'Ah, what the hell I dont care i'm just gonna play it '. And after the first beat, I jut stopped thinking and played off. And next thing I know my fingers are dancing on the fretboard. I dint see anywhere, no fear, no doubt just enjoyed the whole feeling. Although it still was a little shaky and out of order but good enough for a beginner. It was a short instrumental so it was over quick. I call it my "Stage fear remake of Master of Puppets". But it felt awesome. A 15 minute gig gets you a 24-hr fame in the college but whats more important is that I was proud of myself and more than satisfied. And I guess this is what it means to live your dream. What I just got was a glimpse of the heavens.
Now I really know what I wanna do here. At first when I came to this college I was a confused kid running in all directions I could find useful grabbing all things I could and get a taste of the things. After 2 years now I've realised what my passion is and something I can do all my life without the fear of failing or falling from it.
Gosh!! I'm emotional. LOL!!!
Anyways so now we're finally forming an official band to play in our college's annual fest Synapse. I'm know I shouldnt keep my hopes to high but cant stop myself from dreaming. I am willing to go the extra mile for this no matter what. Lets just hope we're able to manage out things nicely coz this time its more serious and bigger. Eagerly waiting for Ragnarock at Synapse '09.
God be with us all _\m/.

You can catch the videos of the performance on my orkut account.

My Love for the Guitar

Guitar. The six string. Just plucking one of 'em makes me enter a whole new realm filled with peace, excitement, thrill, joy and what not. It sticks close to you, touches your heart and when you start playing it, it becomes the gate to your inner soul and reveals all that lies within. All the emotions that a human possesses can be expressed by his/her guitar no matter what it be. Make it cry when your sad. Or when your happy just let it sing off the way you want it. Angry are ya?? Plug in the distortion and blow the whole neighborhood down to burning bits with your fury. Or if you want plain fun, just get your band in the middle of the town and call the gangs to hop to some funky music. If there's an instrument that has traveled through ages of change, different regions, communities, cultures, genres and technologies then it is the guitar. From soft rock to the revolutionary hard rock and heavy metal, from John Denver to Pinkfloyd to Led Zeppelin to Ac/Dc to Iron Maiden to Metallica to Megadeth and I could just go on.
If there wasn't a guitar then probably there wouldnt have been the revolutions to make people realise to speak up, wanting to be free, questioning the wrong they see in the world that goes on. Because it is the rock that made the young generation angry, about how they are treated, controlled, manipulated and finally denied their right to live their lives the way they want to. Denying the the traditions of the old generation, making new rules, breaking or bending old ones is the new tradition that the world follows.
When I see a guitar sitting there quitely in its cover, there are voices in my head as if it is calling out to me, dying to be played because that's what it is meant for. Its not an antique piece of art to be hung up on the wall. And I seriously oppose people who use it that way. Playing my guitar sends me to the seventh heaven, away from all the world around me. It doesn't matter to me if anyone is looking or laughing if im going crazy. All i know that is important to me is the moment i'm playing. To live in that moment as small as a minute is all that I care about because that 1 minute is larger than my whole life and then it doesn't matter if anything happens to me because nobody will ever be able to take that moment away from me. To me that is "nirvana".