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A religion called Rock For bands like Prestorika and Junkyard Groove, rock music is much more than just an exercise for the vocal chord
There is always that dark, mysterious and out-of-this-world element that comes along with rock music. And so is the hysteria surrounding rockstars, the gods of metal and music. But one thing that still stands out is that they are the breed who worships what they do. Well, that's what one can say about the two rock bands, Prestorika and Junkyard Groove who were in the city to perform at the PEC fest. What followed was jumping, singing, chanting and head-banging rock-maniacs getting the taste of hardcore rock. Zeal unlimited
"Rock should be your religion, follow it," says Vaasav Vashist. A 'I-give-a-damn' attitude is what describes Prestorika, the band from Delhi which will be performing at three global festivals — Canadian, Denmark and Palm Beach Festivals. This trio of Prestorika - Vasav (vocalist), Nitesh (drums) and Lokesh (lead guitarist) - covers the three big 'M's of heavy metal - Mettalica, Megadeth and Maiden. Winners of Campus Rock Idols - 2005, the band has come a long way. "For a passion to grow, it needs an early start. Music happened when we were in school," says Vaasav. With inspirations like Dave Matthew and Skid Row, and a shared passion, resulted in hits like Shameless Pride and Not My Way. So, what's progressive metal? "In progressive metal, the grooves and heaviness in the songs grows. And, the aggression too," says Vaasav. Groovy time
"What do you get when you put a drummer with heavy metal roots, a guitarist with classic rock roots, a bassist crazy about Jazz and a very drunk vocalist? Well, this is the recipe for Junkyard Groove, a Chennai-based rock band that has bagged a three-year contract with a US company. One-and-a-half- year-old, it has established itself as one of the premier bands, fusing rock with funk. They have their own style of rock-n-roll and has opened the Dubai Desert Rock Festival for some of the best interbnational bands. "A lot of Indian bands emulate Western bands, but we have our own side. We bring out the Indian rock," says Ameeth Thomas, the vocalist. Well, apart from their music what strikes you is their bonding. "We are a party kinda people with a party kinda job," they echo. If you ask for a definition for Junkyard Groove, it's like your silly sense of humour trying to be creative. But that's just our version. Ask them and they say, "A bunch of crap, with a dash of whiskey." lifestyletribune@tribunemail.com |
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Suit(able) reason
On her first association with the organisation, she says, "it's very
special for me and performing in Chandigarh itself is much more meaningful
than anything else." She further adds, " so much so, my actors
kept asking me when would we be able to stage it in Chandigarh."
Coming back to the play, premiered in
Bangalore in 2007, The Suit, has also been staged at Delhi and
National School of Drama theatre festival. The play, based on a three-
page short story by a South African writer Can Themba, is the story of a
young couple where the husband discovers his wife cheating on him. The
suit of the lover, left behind becomes a witness to the state of affairs
of both. Talking about the challenges of presenting it to the audiences,
she says, "The original word could not be found in any play. The
characters were sketchy and there was so much of improvisation
required." But when it comes to doing what you believe in, they say,
everything's possible. Thoroughly convinced about the story, she says,
"I saw this play in 1993, a realistic story dealing with apartheid in
South Africa, and often found myself referring to that play at various
instances. I also wanted to move to another genre, although it was not
self conscious." And when the hosts are none other than PFA, all the
more reasons. As in the words of Payal Sodhi, founder trustee, PFA,
"With people like Neelam Man Singh, we don't just generate funds and
it's over. It's more about the message that we want to put across people,
to support us." There will be five continuous shows from November
12 to 16 at Rock Garden.
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The biker boys There is nothing insane about Insane Rider’s biking stunts If you were taken for a ride by the breathtaking stunts and awesome biking skills in Dhoom, then here's a bunch of roadkillers, who have taken these biking heroics to the next level, for real! Meet the riders from Superb Stunts, a biker club from Patiala, who can give John Abraham a run for his money by performing dangerous and thrilling stunts at the drop of a hat. "It's started as a hobby around three years back. Practice made us professionals and now it's life," says Nitin Mittal, one of the members. Known as the 'Insane Rider' in the biking circuit, he adds, "We are the only group in the northern region who can perform international level stunts. Every member in the team is in sync with these stunts." Well, it's a bunch of like- minded people sharing one passion; biking and they have made it into an adventure sport solely with their enthusiasm. Their artillery is full with hair-raising stunts. "We perform circle wheelies, flemingo wheelies, spread-leg wheelies and lot more. Our USP lies in the variety and level of danger," says Amandeep Singh, another member. These boys are a regular feature at the regional fests like Aranya at Thapar and they recently displayed their talent at the PEC fest. So, what drives them? "Thrill," they echo. And that's not all. Amandeep also holds the record for driving 9 kms at a stretch on one wheel. After watching them display some jaw-dropping but risky stunts, one wonders if they fear anything. "There are risks involved, but we take precautions and follow certain safety rules before performing," says Nitin. With more riders joining in their passion, it's growing in terms of its ambition. "The kind of stunts that we do are exclusive and no one in the country specialises in them," says Parminder Singh, a biker. He claims that they have the top ten bikers in the country and would like to come at par with the international standards. "The global standards in this sport are way to high and to reach that level we need monetary help from the administration as well. Adventure sports is a in thing and it has a good scope, but we need to develop on it," he adds. All said and done, one thing stands for sure. Their determination and love for what they do is sufficient to pump enough adrenaline before they set out for their roadkill.
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Success mantra
Trained in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), this corporate and management guru helps people discover the power with in through various activities. So much so that by the end of the one-day workshop people are mentally strong enough to walk over the fire. "The fear of being hurt and alleviating pain after failure stops people from taking crucial decisions in life and hampers success," says Rathore. "The idea is to use emotions positively to achieve success." A firm believer in NLP, he tells, "Each of us has the capacity to meet all the challenges in life through effective management of time, balancing one's work and home, through simple techniques of self management based on scientific principles of neuro-linguistic programming." Leading the 'The Mission Success Programme' Rathore has been conducting workshops for Microsoft, KPMG, Bank of India, Delhi Police, armed forces and people around the country to help them overcome fears, accomplish goals and turn dreams in to reality." So what's next? "My role model is Baba Ramdev. Apart from inspiring masses, he is also a superb marketing master," says the enthusiastic guru. Well, way to go man!
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Weighty issue
“But they weren't full-on actions.. I now want to do an action film with stunts of an international calibre. I don't want to plunge into it without being fully prepared. I've already lost a lot of weight. But it isn't enough. I want to lose some more," said Govinda. The actor recently discovered yoga and he says it has changed his lifestyle completely. He said: "Yoga has changed my life. No matter what my schedule, I've to do yoga every morning. I feel the difference within me. It's not about just losing weight. I lost a lot of weight earlier this year when I was shooting in Bangkok with Suniel Shetty for Loot. No, yoga is about self-discipline, about toning the body. I feel myself losing inches around my waist I can get into tight clothes without cringing." So what is his fitness target? "To look as healthy, handsome and fit as Dharam-ji (Dharmendra) did in his heydays. He has always been my role model. And now when I look at myself in the mirror I see glimpses of him in myself. That makes me feel really good," the actor said. "I might soon get together with David Dhawan to make 'Handsome No.1'," he laughed. |
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Mystery unravelled
After much brouhaha over the trailer, the filmmakers are happy with the final outcome and the response they have received for it. "We were all anxious about the first look of the film. However, when we saw it for the first time ourselves in the preview theatre, we knew we had cracked it," said Mohit. The director, who is busy with the post-production stage of the film, says: "The realisation of people's expectations from the movie has just set in so I am making sure the film scares them as much as the trailer did." Though the film shares the title with the Bipasha Basu-starrer, Raaz, which was also produced by Bhatt's Vishesh Films, the producers claim that the film is not a sequel. Apparently, it took Mohit almost six months just to convince his uncles Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt to let him direct Raaz: The Mystery Continues despite the fact that he has directed films like Kalyug, Zeher, Woh Lamhe and Awaarapan. "Looking at the success that Raaz achieved, their hesitation was quite obvious, something which I was expecting," said Mohit. |
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Shekhar's
Indianised opera
"Rahman composed a classic opera song that he recorded in India in an Indian female singer's voice from his music institute in Chennai. When I played the song in Argentina, they said, 'My God, what a great opera and an operatic voice!' Their jaws fell open when I said both were Indian," Shekhar told. Shekhar shot a 25-minute film called 3 Graces with Haley Benett, Lily Cole and Julia Stiles in Buenos Aires. "My colleagues in Mumbai are so jealous. I've just returned from Buenos Aires after shooting with three of the most beautiful women in the world and I'm feeling on top of the world." "Julia Stiles is the leading lady from all Bourne Identity films. Haley Benett was the pop singer with Hugh Grant in Music & Lyrics. Lily Cole is one of the three top models of the world, in the same league as Kate Moss. It's the story of three sisters. One of them is a tango dancer played by Lily," says the director whose film Elizabeth was nominated for seven Oscars in 1998. Interestingly a leading multinational company will be entering the filmmaking business with Shekhar. "I was in New York when I got the call. I immediately flew down to Austria. They told me they had seen my films and they wanted me to make a film for them. And they've a museum where some of the greatest modern artistes, including Salvadore Dali and Picasso have done sculptures. After I've completed the film, they want me to get together with an architect and install a permanent sculpture inspired by the film." Shekhar thinks that short films are the future of world cinema. "A lot of big-name directors are today making short films. It takes so little time. I shot a short film for Mira Nair in New York in just two days and I shot the film in Buenos Aires in just five days," says Shekhar. |
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"[She looks] so much like Keith,I call her Keith-ette," as told on Oprah Winfrey show. "I didn't even get a look in. I think she got my fair skin and that's about it," she added. When Oprah inquired about any kind of rivalry among Sunday's older half-sibs Connor and Isabella, Nicole nipped the rumors in the bud. "They have Suri, so they have got now just another baby sister. But they're very used to having children around,” Kidman said. – ANI, IANS
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It's just me and my feelings. I definitely don't want to push it on anybody else. But we both have similar beliefs and I just thought that it would be so much more special if we waited until after we were married. And it was and it still is," Carey said. The couple is nearing the six month mark of their marriage and Carey revealed she is as happy as ever.
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Experience uncorked Here to launch Ballantine Scotch whisky, Ken Lindsay, the brand ambassador, feels there's no rulebook to drinking
Say whiskey, and we have two schools of thought waiting to be heard. One that sees the drink as a devils brew, and the other, that 'neatly' declares it a philosophic drink consumed when friends get together and one that leaves a song on everybody's lips. We bet there are more takers for the second school, not only here but in the world as well. Otherwise, we wouldn't have Ken Lindsay, brand ambassador Chivas Brother, come down to Chandigarh on Sunday for the launch of Ballantine Scotch Whiskey. "It will leave an impression," says Ken. "In fact, it's an experience, which opens with every sip." Ken seems to be from the second school of thought and this is what he says. "Ballentine is rated as the number 2 Scotch Whisky all over the world and I personally feel that Chandigarh, which has strong whiskey drinkers will lap it up readily," adds Ken, a native of Scotland, who is responsible for teaching the world about the merits of Ballentine Scotch whisky. Of course it will, but the patrons could do with little more drinking etiquettes. He laughs, "There are no hard and fast rules about drinking. You can add, enhance the taste by adding bit of either water, coke, ice or ginger ale. It depends on how you want to have it." When in North where desi or phoren doesn't really matter, Ken still wants to draw a line between the real and the fake. "You can check whether the whiskey is real. It should be sweet, with no obvious smell. It should also have some kind of smoothness that leaves a sophisticated taste," he tells us, famous for his heart and soul approach to marketing. "For the youngsters, we are coming up with various kinds of cocktails. Besides, young people like experimenting and this brand is all about it," puts in Ken, as he looks forward to a great response from the city. And well, that's not all about the man. For he also participates in golf, skiing and other sporting pursuits besides, being a regular with international dance routines. jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Gyms and Germs While shedding flab in the gym, you might carry back infection. So watch out!
Protein shake. Health foods. A visit to the gym. So you thought you're a complete health freak and your quota for the day is over? That's certainly not enough to stay in the pink of health. Hygiene and cleanliness too should form an integral part of it. And exactly, these are the factors you should keep in mind while at your workout place. Did you know that your gym could be carrying more infections than a hospital! If it's not sanitized properly at regular intervals, you could actually be carrying bugs back home. Here's how. Beginning with equipments, the ones you religiously tug onto. The ones everyone shares. Also the ones that carry the most infections! If the machines are not wiped down preferably with disinfect wipes before and after use chances are, you are testing your immune system. As Dr. K.M. Kapoor, head of the Cosmetology, Fortis, says, "Ideally, like we do in our operation theatres, those areas that are very susceptible to germs should be cleaned at least once a day." He also recommends that people be checked for any already prevalent skin infections as the chances of getting infections just from sweat are generally low." The devil lies not just in the equipments. Lack of sufficient space, hot and humid weather too add to it. As Dr. Ashima Goel, dermatologist at a city clinic, says, "The gyms should not be congested. Unless there's good ventilation, chances of infections especially fungal are very high." And she adds, "The risk of most common infection caused due to bacteria Staphylococcus is also very high." Next culprit? Clothing and accessories. Your shoes could actually be playing havoc with your health. Moisture from sweat, heat from working out and no exposure to air could lead to many diseases apart from Athlete's foot, ringworms etc. It is important to change out of your gym shoes after exercising and wash them periodically in the hot water cycle. Dr. Kapoor, says, "Tight clothing is not at all recommended. These days majority of the garments are imported from abroad and they make use of the fabric peculiar and suitable to their cool climes." He strictly advises cotton for working out purposes. And sweat trapped under your tight gym wear can cause fungal infections on the back, underarms and shoulders. Apart from the gym gear, one needs to be over cautious with use of towels, spa and sauna. Dr. Goel warns, "The sharing of common towels should be avoided at all costs. And those who take steam, should ensure that their gym changes the sheet after every steam therapy." Huh! There's so much to watch out for. What you considered the Mecca of health could very well be the breeding ground for bugs! No. We are not advising you stop exercising or stop going there, just that be a little conscious and cautious. Good to be so once in a while. lifestyle@tribunemail.com
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A matter of heart Prof Yashpal Sharma, head, Cardiology Department, PGI, talks about the causes that lead to a heart attack and also how to avoid it Every fifth individual today, above the age of 30 years suffers from hypertension and heart disease. Almost 15 per cent of our patients are adolescents and young men, says Dr Yashpal Sharma, head of Cardiology Department, PGI. The ratio of men and women before menopause suffering from heart disease is 5:1 and after menopause it becomes 3:2. The increase in numbers is due to changes in life style, smoking, diet habits, which involves eating junk foods with a genetic predisposition. Individuals weighing more than 15 per cent of their ideal weight are more prone to heart diseases, says Dr Yashpal. According to him, “Control your risk factors like, smoking, diabetes and obesity. Get a cardiac check-up regularly. Too much alcohol can be detrimental for the heart. Brisk walking for 45 minutes, thrice a week is the best exercise for a healthy heart. Sedentary habits like television, computer games, eating junk foods can be harmful for adolescents. They ought to be careful. What can go wrong?
Your heart and the blood vessels make up the cardiovascular system and a disorder in any of the parts of this system causes cardiovascular disease - disease of the heart (cardio) and diseases of the blood vessels (vascular). You cannot prevent heart diseases from occurring because a person could be born with them (congenital). Others are acquired forms, which you can prevent by taking precautions. An abnormality of the heart muscle due to viral infections, or severe high blood pressure, aneurysm (a bulging section of blood vessel) is both amongst the other cardiovascular diseases. The most common cause of heart disease is the narrowing, or blockage of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. Most cases of heart attacks are the result of coronary heart disease (Ischaemic Heart Disease, IHD). Complete blockage results in deficient oxygenation and nutrient supply to the heart tissues, leading to damage, and death of the tissue, which is known as myocardial infarction (heart attack). Warning signs
"Get a regular check up after the age of 35, especially if you have a family history, or risk factors. Do not ignore the warning signs of heart disease. Do not ignore chest pain. You may also have arm pain, jaw pain, breathlessness, uneasiness and excessive perspiration. Avoid panicking, get some fresh air, and call for help or head for the nearest hospital. Treatment
The pattern of treatment of heart attack patients has changed. Today almost 80 per cent of them go for angioplasty. Pacemakers are introduced for individuals with degenerative heart disease, or for patients after a heart attack, slow heart-beat (sicksinus) or for bi-ventricular congestive heart failure. This is a better option compared to a heart transplant. Lifestyle changes
"It is never too early and never too late to start taking care of your heart. By adopting suitable lifestyle one can reduce the risk," says Dr Yashpal. Although cardiac risk factors can be easily identified and controlled, they are quite often ignored because of socio-economic problems, lack of health education, stress at work and home, negative emotions and complex, confusing advice,” he says. Excess weight can raise blood pressure, blood cholesterol but a high-fibre, low-fat diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight gradually. A low cholesterol and high fibre diet, which includes at least six portions of vegetables and fruits a day, contain essential micro-nutrients and vitamins that produce antioxidants - substances that protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Antioxidants prevent advent of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and cause heart failure or stroke. Therefore, one drink for women and two drinks for men per day can be safe. |
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Sizzling night
Four couples made it to the final round - Mayank and Prachi bagged the first position, Ankur and Amita second, Ahmar and Kanupriya the third. Dj Will from Hong Kong performed a demo for Bachata - a romantic dance from Dominique republic. He also played enticing music for salsa, bachata, hip-hop, merenge and reggetton for the crowd. There were group performances choreographed by Varun and Barsha for various teams -Salsa Ozone, Salsa Panchkula, Salsa Infosys and Salsa
India. — TNS |
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First
things first. It's not about theatre, nor about the soon-to-be staged play
The Suit, and this time it's not even about Neelam Man Singh
Chowdhry. For, it's about the theatre and animal organisation coming
together. It's about celeb and cause. The details? Neelam Man Singh will
be staging her production The Suit at Rock Garden and the best
part, the events is being organised to raise funds for PFA Chandigarh. 
This Rathore from Rajasthan is not known for any prowess in battle field that Rathores are known for but 'the power with in.' P. S. Rathore, a post graduate in management accountancy and visiting faculty in many institutes was in the city on Sunday for 'Discover the Power Within' workshop held in CII.
Having made a career out of comic roles, Govinda now wants to switch to action. He is really working hard on
his physique and has got himself a martial arts and physical trainer. "I've done action films in the past like Hatya and Shola Aur Shabnam."
The first trailer of Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's next project Raaz: The Mystery Continues is doing the rounds, but the producer is said to have had creative differences while finalising it with director Mohit Suri. Mohit said: "It wasn't a fight, though there was an argument over it. Being creative people, we do have very strong point of view on how it should be. Like (Mahesh) Bhatt saab wanted a trailer with dialogues whereas I thought we should just focus on strong visuals and musical score." Raaz: The Mystery Continues, is scheduled to release Jan 23 next year and stars Emraan Hashmi, Adhyayan Suman and Kangana Ranaut.
Shekhar Kapoor is on cloud nine. He has just finished a short film in Argentina, for which the music was given by A.R. Rahman, and has been asked to sculpt a structure inspired by the film that will join likes of Salvadore Dali and Picasso in a museum in Europe.
Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman has revealed that her baby daughter Sunday Rose resembles her dad Keith Urban the most. While talking to Oprah Winfrey on her chat show, the Birth actress revealed that her daughter looks nothing like her - all she has acquired from her is her fair skin.
Pop singer Mariah Carey made her husband Nick Cannon wait till marriage before getting intimate with him. Carey believes that making Cannon wait for two months was well worth it. "It's not that we had no intimacy, we just didn't have complete intimacy.
The grand performance night organised at Hotel Shivalikview on Friday by Club Salsa India and Varun Dance Studio saw 60 couples sizzling the dance floor.