Tired players give rock band performance a miss

NEW DELHI - Call it first day’s fatigue or avoiding exertion for the next day, players at the Commonwealth Games Village gave the evening rock gig by band Them Clones a mass bunk Monday.

The energy for the otherwise popular band’s performance was, however, maintained by close to 100 volunteers in the 500-seating capacity open air auditorium opposite to the international zone at the Village.

Though we play to packed houses, it was spectacular for us because it is an excellent job that has been done by the government for these (the visitors) people a full 10 on 10 for the arrangement. However, we’d have loved to play for the entire contingent from all the teams, guitarist Gucci Singh told IANS after the performance.

There were loud cheers, pictures being taken, videos being shot - all by the volunteers, as the band played 10 songs in nearly an hour long jam with hits like Zephyretta, My Life and Sing Out Loude to name a few.

“Probably the players are tired and the others don’t want to get exerted by coming down for the rock performance,” an official told IANS.

However, in the midst of the red-and-white track suit clad volunteers were six players - three each from Wales and Nigeria sitting at a distance.

It was good we liked it. We are to compete from Oct 10, so can hang out a bit, Rhys Williams, athlete from Wales, told IANS.

Dick Adibo, a wrestler from Nigeria, said: We were just passing by and sat down to enjoy the last song. I liked it. I’d like to buy a copy of their album.

The daily gigs in the Village are a part of ‘Delhi Celebrates’, planned out by both the state and central governments to showcase the wonders of India’s music during the Commonwealth Games.

Others to perform at the Village are bands like East India Company, Pentagram, Soulmate, Euphoria, Indian Ocean and others like Mohit Chauhan, Daler Mehendi and Hariharan-Sivamani-Louis Banks till Oct 14.