RevAmp ’23, Manipal’s premier music festival took the campus by storm, with electrifying live performances and scintillating music spanning a wide range of genres and performance styles. Organised by MIT’s official music club Chords & Co, large crowds gathered to witness some amazing musical talents.

Live Wire  

Ayush Acharya | Staff Writer

(Credits: Aritro Biswas/PAV)

Do concerts light your mood up? Does every strum of the guitar and the bass of the drums make you groove? Because Live Wire by Chords & Co. can be described as everything a music listener’s soul could ask for. The Student Plaza had been set ablaze by the wondrous crew of Chords and Co. on the 18^th of February. They performed four songs, namely; We Will Rock You by Queen, Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, Castle of Glass by Linkin Park, and The Nights by Avicii. The songs had everyone sing along and pumped up for the event. The performers brought back the nostalgia of the early 2000s by adding two Bollywood songs; Mai Agar Kahoon by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal and Zara Zara by Bombay Jayashri.

The event was organized by the team of Chords and Co. which included students of MIT, DOC and a well-lit stage and music amplified by loudspeakers. “The event would not have been a success without the crowd being energetic. It’s the crowd which motivates us to sing and give our best on stage.” remarked Sanjay Konapala, one of the crew members.

Live Wire lasted for about an hour and despite its length, the audience stayed till the end, listening and jamming to the music. It was an event of pure emotion and joy where all we could hear were the sizzle of the electric guitar, the beats of the drums and the singers’ voices topping it all off and the crowd singing along.

Trivia Quiz

Daksh Loiya | Staff Writer

(Credits: Advika Priyabhashini/PAV)

A music quiz was held by Chords & Co. as a part of their RevAmp flagship event. Songs by Rick Astley, including STAY, The Box, and Never Gonna Give You Up were played before the quiz, energising the room. The event had four rounds, and each presented different challenges to the participating teams.

In the first round, the teams had to correctly guess a song through only a small snippet of the song. The artists played included Jimi Hendrix, the Eagles, Coldplay, Tame Impala, etc. The second round involved a singing competition in which each team had to perform songs from a specific genre, and if a team failed, the round ended, with the remaining team receiving their points. During the Country Music round, the panel forbade the use of Old Town Road by Lil Nas X, even though the artist famously called out Billboard for not including the song in their Country Music Charts.

The third round involved predicting the year of well-known songs like Running Up The Hill, Titanium, and Mitwa which led to hilariously bad answers, such as one team stating that Nirvana was making music in 2013. In the final round, each team had to answer an essay-based question with a twist. Any other team could opt to answer that question by inviting a panel member, and if they answered correctly, they could steal your points, but if they answered incorrectly, a penalty was imposed. These questions included the meteoric rise of Dhanush with his song Why This Kolaveri Di, the terrifying story behind MJ’s iconic Billie Jean and many more.

The event ended with Sharad, Samarth, and Hriman winning the competition and bagging a cash prize of Rs. 1500. The participants thoroughly enjoyed the event, saying that it offered a fun and engaging platform for them to showcase their love for music and interact with fellow enthusiasts.

Riffusion

Ayush Acharya | Staff Writer

(Credits: Ishaan Sharma/PAV)

The answer to all your musical thoughts and cravings, the melody to our ears, the tunes to our strumming and the voice to our vocals, Riffusion by Chords & Co. held on 19^th of February was a celebration of live music and honouring its legacy with passion-filled electrifying performances. The event was held in front of the Student Plaza, with students gathering around the stage. After all, who wouldn’t want to join in a crowd and sing along, right?

More than thirteen participants and groups made their mark on stage ranging from solo performances to instrumental bands, to even beatboxing, and got the people all pumped up. Many of the performances took listeners on a nostalgia trip through the early 2000s of Bollywood’s musical brilliance. Songs like Iktara from Wake Up Sid, Mitwa by Shankar Mahadevan and many more unlocked old memories from the our childhood. Many performers chose newer songs and artists. From Kesariya to Kabira to Fitoor; not a single masterpiece from Arijit Singh’s reign of singing was missed. The event lasted for about 2 hours long with the crowd, yearning for more. Overall, the event was filled with many classics of our generation and the event, sure can be concluded as a success all round.

Karaoke Night

Deepali Vengala | Staff Writer

(Credits: Aman Kumar/PAV)

Chords & Co. organized a Karaoke Night event on the 17th of February, held in the quads of FC-1. The event drew a crowd of music enthusiasts from different backgrounds, with about 50 participants coming together to sing along to their favourite music. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful, with everyone excited to show off their vocal skills.

The participants sang a wide range of genres, including pop, rock, R&B, and country, making it a diverse and engaging event. The audience cheered and clapped along, creating a supportive and enthusiastic environment. The event proved an excellent opportunity for music enthusiasts to showcase their talent and connect with other music lovers in the college community.

Swaranjali

Sneha Bhowmik | Staff Writer

(Credits: Tejasvee Dwivedi/PAV)

Organised as a celebration of Indian classical music, Swaranjali was held on 18^th February 2023. It featured performances of both Hindustani music from North India and Carnatic music from the South. The event showcased the abilities of talented musicians and their own unique renditions of Indian classical music. Participants dressed in beautiful traditional dresses, blowing the crowd away with their soulful performances. It was an event where they displayed their passion and knowledge of their craft with pride. It was an evening characterized by melodic vocals and harmonized instruments that left the audience wanting for more. Swaranjali was a fulfilling event that set the hallmark for future classical music endeavors in Manipal.

DJ Night

Sowmya G | Staff Writer

On the evening of 17^th February 2023, Chords & Co. organized a DJ night outside Food Court 1, where they featured a student DJ, Shreyash Singh, who is a student of MIT Manipal. The event started at 9:30 pm with the energetic and enthusiastic DJ playing a mixture of old and new tracks that kept the audience engaged and entertained throughout the night. The music was loud, vibrant, and electrifying, and the entire area was transformed into a dance floor where students could let loose and have fun. The crowd was incredibly enthusiastic and supportive of the DJ as they cheered him on throughout the event. Despite being inside the campus, the students seemed to thoroughly enjoy the night and danced to their heart’s content. The energy and excitement were palpable in the air, and it was evident that the students were having a great time.

(Credits: Aman Kumar/PAV)

(Featured Image Credits: Aritro Biswas/PCB)