Saving
ourselves
By Tharangani Perera
A
dramatic writer. A captivating vocalist. Two spirited guitarists.
Throw in a couple of interactive developers, public relations managers
and you have the dark matter that gives birth to the multi-sensory
experience that is HollowPoint Halo. They are a collective; a coalescence
of artistes; a circle of friends. Fusing contemporary music, creative
writing and comic artistry, the eight individuals reflect the scars
of humanity’s self-mutilation, and its innate desire to save
itself through creative music.
Having
created the genre of Bullet Rock, which is a melding of acoustica,
electronica, alternative and industrial rock, HollowPoint Halo has
thus far released four songs, all of which are receiving regular
airplay on local radio stations. These songs, powered by the intention
of creating awareness among the youth of Sri Lanka transcend the
boundaries of sensuous aesthetics with their sometimes hidden-sometimes
overt social messages that are focused upon issues such as domestic
violence, juvenile depression, suicide and murder.
Each
new release is linked to a corresponding story, which voices contemporary
social issues that primarily affect the youth. These distinct animated
stories merge together to form a unique six-part saga, titled Hellerd
that can be followed online at www.hollowpointhalo.com. Each creative
segment is wholly conceptualised by the collective and can be followed
independently or in concert with the others.
On
Friday, October 28, at H2O at 9 p.m. HollowPoint Halo will create
yet another firestorm among the Sri Lankan rock audience. UnderSkin,
the band’s second live performance, promises to be an acoustic
exposition of the bare essence that lies at the heart of its music.
Comple-mented by the showcasing of live visual projection and animation,
acoustic guitars and a string quartet will work together to create
the performance paradox of stripping away the synthesized skin,
while elevating the essence that forms the core of HollowPoint Halo’s
artistry.
The
band will comprise vocalist Marsh Dodanwela and guitarists Ranil
Goonawardene and Billy Fernando, who will be supported by a string
quartet in their endeavor to deconstruct and reinterpret the music
of the collective. “We’re writing the score for the
string quartet and I believe that we are the first rock band in
Sri Lankato write their own scores especially for their original
material,” says Ranil, emphasising the novelty of such an
undertaking. “There will also be special performances by Azlan
Bathusha from Krebscycle, Anil Balasooriya from Independent Square,
Deadlyne 21 and Amanda,” he adds.
In
addition to the unique presentation of music by several renowned
artistes from around the country, its gripping theme, UnderSkin
will feature for the first time in Sri Lanka, an ultra-modern video
wall. “The video wall will comprise six plasma TVs, and will
carry all the stylised visuals we have created for the songs,”
says Marsh, highlighting the importance of this high-tech creation
in the presentation of the nature of HollowPoint Halo’s artistry
to its fans.
Featuring
some of the nation’s most inimitable musical creations, UnderSkin
will offer the audience an opportunity to witness and interact with
a collection of artistes from divergent disciplines, bringing together
their distinctive art forms to create a singular fusion of sight
and sound. With all its uniqueness, and its promise to beguile and
captivate Sri Lanka, UnderSkin is certain to serve as a hallmark
in the history of the nation’s rock music industry.
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