Dharamshala October 22 – In a rare mixture of political fervor and social awareness, yesterday’s concert held by Kunphen Centre for Substance Dependence, and Students for a Free Tibet saw the public reacting with ‘free Tibet’ slogans’ to a short documentary screened during the recess.
The organizers brought ‘Basement Blues’, an emerging rock band from Delhi to perform in an awareness campaign for prevention of drug abuse and AIDS in the Tibetan society.
A strong crowd thronged the courtyard of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts to display their enthusiasm for music and solidarity with the cause for which the gathering was organized despite acute shortage of funds.
Condoms wrapped in gift packs with the symbol of AIDS were distributed to the audience. Inflated condoms flew in the air and swayed in the direction of the freezing wind before children rushed to get the falling condoms mistaking them with balloons.
The band, besides some rocking as well as slow numbers, presented a composition of their own titled ‘Tenzin to his father’, a patriotic song about a son and his father.
Through the entire show, public interest messages for precaution for AIDS and prevention of drug abuse were flashed across a giant screen at one side of the stage which was adorned with a huge backdrop banner carrying the theme of the evening ‘Turn off drugs, Turn on music’.
The organizers say that they were overwhelmed with the support they received in the form of audience turnout, volunteers and donations.
