Spotlight

Campus Rockers

Mahdin Mahboob

Who are the latest 'in' people in your campus right now? The people with the highest CGPA? The most fashionable girls? The guys with the latest sports cars with the loudest music? The sportsmen perhaps? Or the cool underground musicians - the guitarists, the drummers, keyboardists - the 'Campus Rockers'?

Campus based bands have taken the universities by storm. There are more than 50 private universities and 21 public universities in Bangladesh. Most of these institutes have their inhouse metal and rock bands. This is especially true for the big and prominent universities in the hot and happening capital city of Dhaka, with some of them having quite a few bands of their own. All the universities organize cultural programs and events every year, ranging from celebrating special days like the New Year and Valentine's Day to regular events like the Club Fair and things of the sort. New bands of a university get the chance to get some exposure through these programmes, at the same time they entertain other students with quality live music.

Often, renowned bands of the institutions also chip in, not forgetting the places which have paved their way to glamour and success. No longer are underground bands a pastime of high school students. Students these days are taking it with a professional approach, some of the really good ones are making a big scene on the country's music scenario. Some of them are even going for further studies in music to different countries abroad.

The DRockstar competition, sponsored by Grameen Phone and being held for the second time this year, has had a huge influence in these upcoming superstars of the music world. In the first year, they searched for the country's best budding Rockstar, aptly called the DRockstar, the 'D' coming from Djuice, a cell phone package which has reached icon status in our country for the cool and trendy young generation. Instantly, the universities were full of posters asking for 'SMS votes' for the student of that institute to grab the much coveted first prize. Students, most of them equipped with cell phones, whole heartedly responded, sending in hundreds of vote's everyday for their 'very own candidate'. Similar talent hunt programs like the Close Up 'Tomakei Khujchhe Bangladesh' also created huge waves in the different campuses. This year however, DRockstar has a different approach with 'the hunt for a rock band'. Established musicians like Shafin Ahmed (Miles), Shumon(Aurthohin) and Partho(Souls), together with other guest judges have formed the judging panel for this competition.