By Mannu Shahi

With the world slowly adapting back to the new normal, things in the music industry are too in no rush to return to the way things were. The restrictions over public gatherings, compulsion on maintaining social distance everywhere and the fear of contaminating various diseases has also aided to this situation further as this hampered live shows directly.
But gradually few groups have started organizing concerts in venues across the valley, musical junctures like Thamel and Jhamsikhel hosting weekly shows and other musical outlets re-opening one by one are definitely a positive aspect for the artists depending on concerts for employment.
Kanta Dab Dab is a sitar, percussion and bass trio from Nepal with a unique outlook on the world music scene blending flavors of both eastern and western melodies.
Their music serves a treat for fans craving something new with a hinge of traditional influences as their western structured themes, fast-electro beats, raga based melodies and groovy bass lines shape their compositions beyond conventional sounds currently heard amidst the local urban music scape.
The trio released their debut self-titled album on 2016 and has been actively performing shows in and outside the country ever since. Formed with the collaboration of three musical pioneers, educators, festival organizers and old-time friends: Sunit Kansakar (sitar), Riju Tuladhar (bass) and Nikhil Tuladhar (percussion) this magnificent trio played their first live show in ten months after the outburst of the pandemic at Social Café, Gairidhara last Friday.
Pariwartan is a rock outfit that immerged from the Thamel music scene as a cover band and released their debut single Ma Chu on July 2020.
With Deepak Gurung on bass, Gopi Shrestha on vocals and guitars, Pravesh Thapa Magar on guitars and backing vocals and Yugal Shahi on drums, they are one of the most prominent groups actively playing for nearly a decade in the Thamel music fraternity.
Their debut was also immensely well-received by their followers, fellow musicians and critics, crossing over hundred thousand views within a few months of release.
The video was created in collaboration with Katha Haru, recorded by Suramya Sthapit (Fuzz Studio) and mixed/mastered by Kobid Bazra (Bajra Creation Records).
The quartet performed last Friday on two venues at Kashi Café and Bar, Kritipur from 5pm onwards and at The Reggae Bar, Thamel the same night. Both the shows were well publicized in social media platforms and pre-alerted regarding their strict maintenance of social distancing.