After a lull of nearly 25 years, when the late 1980’s sawbands like the renowned Big City Band, Music Man, and Pure Magic rise from its ranks,the music revolution has stirred in Chowgule College once again. A band hasstood out in the form of young outfit ‘Static Age’, bringing together studentsfrom the higher secondary as well as the college section together.
Trained and mentored by the then manager of the collegestudio, Frezio Fernandes, the band put together a string of impressiveperformances on and off campus, with private gigs at venues such as ‘OPescador’ in Calangute. Their on-campus shows remain their highlight though,with several impromptu performances at their canteen raising eyebrows as wellas applauding hands. Upon his resignation though, the band’s permission toperform in college was withdrawn.
“We miss playing on campus, but ever since Frezio resigned,our permission to play here is literally non-existent, but we enjoy having seta precedent in Goa by being the first college to have a full-fledged jam intheir canteen,” says bassist Revellino Fernandes.
From popular college kids that ran canteen jams to beingdisallowed the right to play on campus, Static Age is only striding forward.“We are all set to play our first wedding now. We never thought we would bethis popular,” says the awestruck female vocalist and keyboard player, HeatherFernandes.
But playing at weddings is just the beginning in a musicalcareer for these teens. With over 15 originals down pat, including thewell-received punk rock track ‘My Neighbour’, this band is all set to producetheir first ever album. “We are in the process of building our own studio. Thismay take a little time and investment, but is a good long term plan. I believewe have immense potential,” says drummer, unofficial leader and spokesperson ofthe south Goa outfit, Dunstan Dias.
That this band has raw and edgy talent is unquestionable.The question that arises is whether the management will see it fit to allowthem to live their rock and roll dream (and maybe even get the institution somecredit in the bargain).
