This is a story about entertainment. But it’s not entertaining. One of the effects of Coronavirus has been the complete collapse of the entertainment industry. More specifically the one-man band or the large bands that are considered de rigeur at weddings or at clubs or restaurants are no longer singing their song. They fell silent in the month of March when the first lockdown was imposed. The sense of frustration was palpable in several of the bands and entertainers who chose to spoke. Norman Cardozo a popular fixture on the entertainment landscape said the band would have to do something to survive though he admitted he had no idea what it was. He said “I am waiting for an idea that will help us generate some money. I gave some minus tracks of different songs to some people; perhaps I will get some money. I miss the days when we did open performances. Something has to change fast.” Johnny Araujo popularly known as Johnny B Goode said very few shows were happening for him. He said “As a duo we used to perform in so many shows last year but now we get two out of ten shows. We are living off our savings. Now with weddings cancelled or postponed, the size has reduced dramatically which then means we as entertainers have to slash our price if we want to win contracts. It is really bad; it is not a great situation to be in”. Carlos Gonsalves an old timer who has a reputation as a drummer par excellence said he was living off his savings and now taken up giving tuitions to students either at home or at their residence. He said “The situation is really bad and parents are worried about the virus and the instrument I teach cannot lend itself to online teaching. I have to be present to show them how to handle the stick and to ensure they learn the right technique. I have also passed that age where I can learn something new. I have to stick to what I know”. If the fate of one man bands or duos is worrying then the big bands are fighting a battle too. Aaron Tellis the manager of Raga to Riches said there was nothing they could do till the season opened up. He said “You may be surprised by my blank answer but there is nothing I can do. A lot of musicians are doing other things like home cooking but not everyone can do that. Our drummer is giving classes but that’s it. Everyone else is living off their savings. In December we may have two weddings to smaller crowds. We will be the last to recover because in the large scheme of things life can still go on without us.” Zubin Da Cruz of True Blue said he and others were looking at other options because there were no jobs. He said “Many musicians will have to do something on the side and it was now the time to get creative. I think what is happening in very interesting wit many bands now composing and performing original songs in Konkani. A lot of them are doing their own work. Many of them are also performing on Facebook live. It is a breakthrough but as far as shows in the real world is concerned everything is postponed. It is rather depressing.” One bar in coastal Anjuna is popular for bands to performs but like every other outlet it is now silent. Swapnil Naik who manages the outlet said they were planning a small ticketed event for around 30-40 people so that bands could earn some money. He said “I have been approached by many musicians who are willing to drop their rates to perform. It is a really sad situation. Let us see how November and December turn out. Worryingly the numbers of cases are increasing.” There are however exceptions to this rather depressing trend. A 26 is a popular band that has acquired fame in the state, across the country and parts of the world too. Lester Rodrigues who manages and sings in the band said weddings had been cancelled but there were a number of inquiries from other states. He said “At this point, we are waiting and watching because we don’t really know what is going to happen. We have done five shows online all paid. Yes, we have had to negotiate our rates. We have charged anywhere between fifty to seventy-five per cent of our rate”. He said they had set up a YouTube channel which had proved to be very popular and which would end up earning them money in the future. Another musician who has adapted to the ways of the new world is Colin D’cruz who has his composition on various platforms and from which he is earning money. He said, “Musicians have to get innovative and look around and adapt otherwise they will no longer exist.” Harsh but true. Perhaps in that is the future of musicians in Goa and elsewhere, moving fearlessly into waters not travelled before. It could be interesting times or scary. It will all depend on the individual. Right now, it’s tough being fearless.
