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A voice for refugees

Updated on: 19 September,2017 08:14 AM IST  |  Mumbai
Shraddha Uchil |

A thousand musicians will perform in people's homes across 60 countries for a first-of-its-kind day of concerts to unite people in welcoming refugees

A voice for refugees

Maati Baani
Maati Baani


On September 20, the world will witness a unique music concert - one that will take place not in a sold-out stadium, but in the homes of people in over 200 cities across the globe. You can be a part of it too, right here in Mumbai.


The concert, called Give a Home, is a collaboration between global live music movement Sofar Sounds and Amnesty International. It is being held to raise money for refugees and unite people in welcoming them.


Achint & The Khan Brothers
Achint & The Khan Brothers

Music for a cause
A thousand established and emerging artistes will perform across the world on the day. The Mumbai chapter of Sofar Sounds, too, will be part of this event, featuring three groups that will play in a cosy living room in Bandra. The concert will take place in five other Indian cities, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune and Delhi-NCR.

A Sofar Sounds gig in Mumbai. Pic courtesy/Sahil Kotwani
A Sofar Sounds gig in Mumbai. Pic courtesy/Sahil Kotwani

The concert series was announced on World Refugee Day, which falls on June 20. "With over 21 million people forced to flee their home countries, the world refugee crisis is one of the defining issues of our time," says Salil Shetty, secretary general of Amnesty. "How we respond to it now will shape who we are for generations to come. This is our moment to defend the things that unite us and refuse to let fear and prejudice win," he adds. Shetty also shares that music and art have always been powerful partners in the cause of justice. "They share an ability to stir something deep within us. They help us to look beyond borders and see what unites us."

Three of a kind
"We don't usually announce our line-up in advance, but we made an exception for this event," says Arul Kacker, city head for Sofar Sounds Bombay, which hosts live gigs at intimate spaces across the city.

He adds that after the announcement was made, those interested were requested to donate to the cause to win a pass to the event. While entry is now closed, you can still catch a live streaming of all the performances on Facebook.

The Mumbai line-up features Maati Baani, a band that takes Indian classical music and marries it with global sounds. Also part of the show is Achint & The Khan Brothers, a collaboration between Mumbai-based musician Achint Thakkar and Rajasthani folk musicians Bhutta Khan and Multan Khan.

The third band is a new one called LANDS. It is the brainchild of Sohrab Nicholson and Rohan Ramanna, who will be debuting their music at this event.

Who else is performing?
Artistes who will perform at different venues across the world on September 20 include Ed Sheeran, Above & Beyond, James Morrison, Jessie Ware, Lewis Watson, Lianne La Havas, Nina Nesbitt, Nothing but Thieves, Oh Wonder, Phoebe Ryan, Rudimental, The Naked and Famous, and The National, among others.

On: September 20, 8.30 pm onwards
At: Bandra West.
Log on to: sofarsounds.com

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