Insomnia (rock band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = INSOMNIA


Img_capt = The mark of sleeplessness
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Kolkata, India
Genre = Alternative Nu age
Progressive rock
Years_active = 2002 -
Label = Independent Label
Asha Audio
HMV saregama
Current_members = Vocals - Sayantan Neogi (Ninnai), Vocals/Guitars - Rajarshi Barman (Dodo), Vocals/Keyboards - Souvik Gupta (Savvy), Guitars - Bodhisattwa Ghosh (Bodhi), Bass - Prasenjit Chakrabutty (Pom), Drums - Rohit Nandi (Rohit), Manager - Rahul Mehra (Paiya)
Past_members = Subhojit Roy Chowdhury (Subho), Sudipto Banerjee (Buti), Dipanjan Mukherjee (Ebu), Santanu Das Roy (Tito), Ayan Dasgupta (Boom), Sougata Basu (Papa)

Insomnia is a Rock band based in Kolkata, [cite news| last =Ghoshal| first =Shounak| title =Get Set Rock!| work =Kolkata Mirror| publisher =The Times of India| date =2008-01-04| url =http://www.kolkatamirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=20&contentid=20080104200801041800219211a63280d&sectxslt=] West Bengal. The band's repertoire includes both English and Bangla songs. The band has an album each in English ("Cry of the Spirit" - self released) and Bangla ("Proloyer Shomoye" - Asha Audio). [cite news | title =New music mantra| work =Young Metro| publisher =The Telegraph (Calcutta)| date =2006-04-06| url =http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060608/asp/calcutta/story_6322744.asp] [cite news| last =Chatterjee| first =Chandreyee | coauthors =| title =Band of boys| work =The Good Life| pages =| language =| publisher =The Telegraph (Calcutta)| date =2006-10-30| url =http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061030/asp/calcutta/story_6826243.asp | accessdate =2007-11-03] [cite web| title= Prasanna's Blog| url=http://cprasannas.blogspot.com/2006/10/insomnia-proloyer-somoye-and-what-do-i.html] Insomnia is one of the most notable new Rock bands from Eastern India for its unique sound, stage presence and bilingual repertoire. Insomnia are also quite adept at executing live music for theatre, being part of the act itself, in plays such as "Peacewards" [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Peacewards| work =| publisher =Peaceworks| date =| url =http://www.seagullindia.com/peace/activities.html| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-11-03] (directed by Jayant Kripalani, produced by Red Curtain Productions, based on monologues written by Manjula Padmanabhan), a 3rd theatre version of 'Rokto Korobi' [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Parnab Mukherjee| work =Laboratory for Enthusiastic Collaboration Company Bios| publisher =Laboratory for Enthusiastic Collaboration| date =| url =http://www.l4ec.org/bios/| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-11-03] (written by Rabindranath Tagore, conceptualised by Badal Sarkar, directed by [http://www.jammag.com/campus/index.php?section_id=6&article_id=238 Parnab Mukherjee] , starring [http://imdb.com/name/nm0149828/ Sudipta Chakraborty] ) and numerous other plays. "Opekkha" from their Bangla album "Proloyer Shomoye" was part of the original soundtrack of the first Bangla sex comedy movie "Aamra" [cite news| last =Mitra| first =Mandira| coauthors =| title =Hip posturing| work =| pages =| language =| publisher =The Telegraph (Calcutta)| date =2006-10-29| url =http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061229/asp/etc/story_7193940.asp| accessdate =2007-11-03] [cite news| last =| first =| coauthors =| title =Tollywood top draws 2006| work =| pages =| language =| publisher =The Telegraph (Calcutta)| date =2006-10-31| url =http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061231/asp/calcutta/story_7204391.asp| accessdate =2007-11-03] (produced by Venkatesh fims, directed by [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2371539/ Mainak Bhaumik] , cast - [http://www.chakpak.com/celebrity/parambrata-chatterjee/36558 Parambrata Chatterjee] , [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1702868/ Jisshu Sengupta] , Rudranil Ghosh, Nilanjanaa, Ananya Chatterjee, Kaushik Ghosh, Rajatava Datta, Momo).

Insomnia plays every week at [http://www.theparkhotels.com/park/itn_someplace.html Someplace Else] [cite web| title= Rohit Nyss' Blog|url= http://turquoisechill.blogspot.com/2007_12_09_archive.html] [cite web| title =Pushan Nirvava666's blog| url =http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Someplace_Else-70908-1.html] , The Park Wednesday midnights. The band has quite a following at the emerging [http://www.princeton.in/events_bands.php Princeton Club] [cite web| title =Samarjit Das'blog| url =http://metalmentalism.blogspot.com/2007/10/longest-rock-festival-in-india.html] , as well.

Band Members (Insomniacs)

* Vocals - Sayantan Neogi (Ninnai) - A student of Maestro Abraham Mazumder of the violin and double bass in the Western Classical mode. He also works under the 'on-air name' RJ Sayan with [http://power1078fm.com/sayan.htm 107.8 Power FM] . He writes for Kindle Magazine apart from writing music for the band.
* Vocals/Guitars - Rajarshi Barman (Dodo) - A student of Srijukto Bhudeb Gupta in Hindusthani Kantha Sangeet in the mode of the Bishnupur Gharana. He's otherwise a music teacher and also teaches Commerce subjects to advanced students. He's a painter as well.
* Vocals/Keyboards - Souvik Gupta (Savvy) - A quintissential 'band' keyboardist with a unique vocal style. A very talented composer (the local AR Rahman), he's also a partner of the first rent-out practice pad in Kolkata, Octaves. He also works in the line of shipping engineering.
* Guitars - Bodhisattwa Ghosh (Bodhi) - A student of the modern legend Amyt Datta in Blues and Jazz. He's not only an innovative guitarist but an equally inventive songwriter. He also works as a quality control manager with an essential electric supply company.
* Bass - Prasenjit Chakrabutty (Pom) - A self-taught genius, he's a brilliant exponent of both flamenco on the six-string and funk on the bass. He's also a sound engineer and is currently working with AMSI radio production.
* Drums - Rohit Nandi (Rohit) - Mostly self-taught, he's one of the only 'bounce' players in town. A creative drummer, in his playing, he incorporates all the various styles he's known to be a self-student of.
* Manager - Rahul Mehra (Paiya) - Having roots in the corporate world, he's not only a student of PR but also a great exponent of it. A well-connected party animal, a hard worker, a 'client-satisfier' and a person with a deep appreciation for art.

The current line up of the band seems to be the most stable one and the most popular. The best thing is that the current members individually come from very different musical backgrounds, nevertheless, they gel extremely well and come together to create the variant and unique Insomnia sound.

Discography

The Band's Journey

Insomnia plugged in for the first time in 1999 as the South Point High School band [cite web| title =Shattered Nostalgia| author =Priyo fother mucker| url =http://shapeurlife.blogspot.com/2007/05/insomnia-true-south-pointers.html] . After numerous line up changes the new recruits were all from different schools: Sayantan Neogi (Ninnai) - La Martiniere for boys, Kolkata; Prasenjit Chakrabutty (Pom) - Don Bosco Park Circus; and Souvik Gupta (Savvy) - Nava Nalanda High School. Therefore, unlike popular belief, Insomnia is not an SPHS band even though it started out as one.

Insomnia's first show as a professional outfit was on 7th July, 2002 in Music World, Park Street. The band has gone through many potentially crippling line-up changes. However against all odds they stuck on and the current line up has been active since the middle of 2005.

Noteworthy performances by the band:

* Insomnia were Eastern Zonal Winners and All – India 2nd Runners up at Castrol Garage Rock, 2003 held in Mumbai

* Insomnia were Finalists at the All – India Rock band competition at Springfest 2003, IIT Kharagpur

* Insomnia have rocked crowds in schools and colleges on the following occasions:
**R G Kar Medical College, Freshers’ welcome, 2003
**South Point High School, Melting Point, 2004
**Pailan Institute of Management, Freshers’ welcome, 2004
**Calcutta Medical College, Annual Fest, 2004
**Jadavpur University, Electrical Engineering, Freshers’ welcome, 2004
**Jadavpur University, Mechanical Engineering, Freshers’ welcome, 2004
**District Interact Council, Annual Fest, 2004
**St. Xavier’s College Kolkata, Xavotsav 2004
**District Rotaract Council, Annual Fest, 2005
**Dr. B. C. Roy Engineering College, Durgapur, Annual Fest, 2005
**Meghnath Saha Institute Of Technology 2005
**Jadavpur University, Arts Faculty, Sanskriti 2006
**St. Xavier’s College Kolkata, Xavotsav 2007
**Institute of Technology & Marine Engineering, Impulse 2007
**Gupta College of Technology & Science, Asansol, Panacea 2007
**JIS College of Engineering, Kalyani, Annual Fest 2007
**Jadavpur University, Arts Faculty, Sanskriti 2007
**Gyan Ghosh Memmorial College, Annual Fest 2007
**Heritage Institute of Technology, Eclecia 2007
**Calcutta Medical College, Annual Fest 2007
**Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Synapse 2007
**St. Stephen's School, Dum Dum, Reunion 2007
**Kalyani Govt. College of Engineering, Annual Fest 2007
**Bethune College, Annual Fest 2007
**South Point Reunion 2008
**West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Outlawed 2008
**Techno India Hooghly, Chinsura, Verbena 2008
**Sikkim Manipal University, Ballygunge Phari, Kolkata, Live Wire 2008
**Dinabandhu Andrews Institute of Technology & Management, Razzmatazz 2008
**St. Thomas' College of Engineering and Technology, Atria 2008
**Government College of Engineering & Ceramic Technology, Jagriti 2008
**Carmel Convent School, Jamshedpur, 10th Anniversary Celebrations, 2008
**Ramakrishna Mission Shilpapeeth Belghoria, Boreas 2008
**Saroj Mohan Institute of Technology, Guptipara, Annual Fest 2008
**Calcutta Boys School, Annual Fest 2008
**Carmel High School, Kolkata, Annual Fest 2008
**Pailan Institute of Engineering, Annual Fest 2008

* Insomnia organised the concert, Reach Out and played in it along with the leading English bands of Calcutta. The concert also featured Usha Uthup, Amyt Datta and Nandan Bagchi and raised funds for the children of Reach.

* In 2003, Insomnia featured in ‘Peacewards’, a Red Curtain productions play based on monologues by Manjula Padmanabhan. The play was directed by Jayant Kripalani and saw the band live on stage doing a musical narration

* In 2003 again, Insomnia soundscaped a third theatre version of Rabindranath Tagore’s play, ‘Rakta Karabi’, which was directed by Parnab Mukherjee and featured actress Sudipta Chakraborty. In 2004, under the same director, Insomnia soundscaped third theatre versions of Shakespeare’s ‘Measure for Measure’ and ‘King Lear’

* In November 2004, Insomnia became the first band in the city to have an unplugged concert in the bag. It was held at Caffeine, Elgin Road

* In April 2005, Insomnia performed along with Fossils, Aasma and Neha Bhasin in aid of the Tsunami victims in the ‘One World’ concert held at La Martiniere for boys grounds

* In November 2005, Insomnia went to Thimpu, Bhutan and performed at the country’s premier night club, Space 34

* In January 2006, Insomnia launched themselves in the Bangla Rock circuit at ‘Republic Rock’ along with acts from Bangladesh such as Warfaze, Artcell, Metalmaze, ArboVirus and acts from West Bengal such as [http://www.lakkhichhara.net/ Lakkhichara] , [http://www.cactusmusic.com/ Cactus] and Fossils

* In December 2007, Insomnia put up a concert as part of the centenary celebration of TATA steel in Jamshedpur in the coveted XLRI auditorium.

* In January 2008, Insomnia was part of the historic Mohiner Ghoraguli tribute concert (organized by Ranjon Ghoshal), ' [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abar_Bochhor_Tirish_Pore&action=edit Abar Bochhor Tirish Pore] ', which had a complete Philharmonic Orchestra (Conducted by Abraham Mazumder) playing. The Concert was held at the big lawn, Nicco Park and had a turnout of about 30,000 people. [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =Shayak Chakravarty| coauthors =| title =Santo meets Zimmerman| work =Blog for Mohiner Ghorahuli| publisher =| date =| url =http://santosmeetszimmerman.blogspot.com/2008/01/these-days.html]

Videos

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87VJsC76Rx0 Aartonaad - Proloyer Shomoye (2006)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tr23N_46KI Insomnia - Live at ITME (2007)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvmPInDkF4U Insomnia - Live at Sanskriti, Jadavpur University (2007)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpsMTKWEWwo Insomnia - Covering 'Tomay Dilam' (2007)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFFNb1GcsJ4 Insomnia - Covering 'Bangali' (2007)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4Q_eyFyS4o 'Opekkha', an impression by Iman Sen, Calcutta Blues (2007)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P55BsfSTylk Opekkha - Proloyer Shomoye (2007)]

External links

*Official Website [http://www.insomniated.com www.insomniated.com]

ee also

* Mohiner Ghoraguli
* Cactus (Bangla Band)
* Lakkhichara
* Bhoomi
* Chandrabindoo
* Fossils
* Cassini's Division

References