IMPHAL, Oct 15 - Scottish hard rock veterans Nazareth arrived here this afternoon to perform in the ensuing four-day ShiRock 2019, an annual rock music competition- cum-festival held as part of the Shirui Lily Festival. The Shirui Lily Festival will be held at multiple venues in the picturesque Ukhrul district beginning from tomorrow onwards.
Nazareth will perform on October 16, the opening night of the rock festival. American glam rock band, Extreme, is also slated to perform on the closing day on October 19.
Soon after arriving here, the Scottish rock band, headed by its last founding member Pete Agnew, told reporters that they would be happy to perform for the fans here.
Responding to a question on the absence of the band�s founding frontman and lead singer, Dan McCafferty, Agnew said, �Dan was my best friend and we grew up together. We miss him.�
He added that the band faced a challenge when Carl Sentance was brought in as the new lead singer. However, due to the support and cooperation of fans and Sentance�s vocal style, the band has been doing well, he added.
Nazareth will make their way to the Ukhrul hill town for their show on the Bakshi grounds, 60 km north of Imphal, according to Tourism Department sources.
Nazareth � which first gained international fame after their cover of American songwriter Boudleaux Bryant�s number, �Love Hurts�, that featured on their sixth studio album, Hair of the Dog � had earlier performed in Mizoram in April 2017, sources said. However, American group Extreme, which was formed in 1985, will make its debut performance in India with the Ukhrul show.
In recognition of the importance of the Manipur State flower, the Shirui Lily Festival, which was upgraded to a State-level event in May 2017, is aimed at spreading awareness about conservation of the bell-shaped flower and also �to develop and implement sustainable and responsible tourism in the State�. It also serves as a platform to promote Ukhrul as a tourist destination of the North East.
Live music, cultural shows, beauty pageants, exhibitions, programmes folk songs, traditional dances, and indigenous games and sports competitions will be the highlights of the festival, which will showcase the age-old traditions and culture of the inhabitants of Ukhrul district.
