The younger generation are the ones more into smoking today, says Arjun Rangarajan, one of the organisers of the rock show from Can-Stop”. The only way to get them to quit is through music. A similar event last year saw a fairly good response and so this year’s show was even bigger.
Can Stop’s holding a series of events to commemorate World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and the event that kicked off the series was “The World No Tobacco Day Rock Show”. May 24 saw three bands take the stage: Grey Shack, Panatella and Junkyard Groove.Grey Shack opened their show with their “Plastic Skin”. A few more originals later they launched into the Beatles’ cover “Day Tripper.
Up next was Panatella who proved themselves energetic although they were without their keyboardist. They brought energy into the crowd with their originals “Bend Over” and “205”. They also went on to play covers by the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.
The last band that evening was Junkyard Groove, who got the crowd on their feet with their favourite originals like “It’s Ok, Folk”, “You and Rock and Roll”. When they finished the crowd was singing one of their originals “Say Goodbye”, (hopefully to smoking as well)
Sunder, the bass guitarist of Panatella, felt that while the idea behind the show was good it is for the audience to pick the right message. Most of them were there to watch their favourite bands play, if they really got the message, then the event would be more successful, he said.
About 70 per cent of the crowd were youngsters from schools and colleges. A few even resolved to quit smoking by signing on the board placed at the entrance. A few said that at least a handful would go back with a resolution to stop smoking
