FROM FACEBOOK
What went wrong with the Nepathya concert in NYC - And why was DJ Rokesh not allowed to perform even though the advertisement said he would (a lot of folks in NYC paid a lot of money thinking there would be a DeeJay event as well)? This false advertisement is unacceptable and someone has to be held liable!
Instead of blaming the organizers, I'd think it was the band's fault based on my previous experience. I've had the first hand experience of working with Nepathya during their concert last year - And once was enough. Never again!
The reasons:
1) This is a band that treats its members as mere employees of Amrit Gurung and Kiran, the manager (yes, the other band members are on a salary basis unlike other bands where all members are equal partners and share the fees earned).
2) This is a band that specifically asks the organizers NOT to take them to areas where they may encounter Nepalese people. I'm sorry but I don't think the Nepalese folks would want to meet them either once they find about about this condescending attitude of theirs.
3) They squeeze the organizers for every cent via asking for only the best venues (or they will not perform at all). I don't think they deserve anything more than other Nepalese bands. The best band in the last 2 decades has been 1974AD based on the string of hits and number of albums released...But for reasons of nostalgia, folks still cling onto Nepathya - That is the only reason. These guys are totally irrelevant in today's youth charged scene.
4) If the organizers have complied with every monetary request of the band, the band should have no say after in the decision making process. The organizers are the risk takers and it's their job to get the attendees and to be able to make a profit of atleast break even! If the organizers want to sell beer to the crowd, so be it...The band's job is to perform and shut the hell up. Does it really matter if folks sip on beer while watching a concert? Apparently, Nepathya thinks it is. These guys are old-school and I'm surprised they've even managed to over stay their welcome this far!
5) A verbal contract is as important as a signed document - But the managers of Nepathya continually seem to ignore that. Last year, I had an agreement with the organizers to have a short video on HeartBeat (an NGO in Nepal working with street kids and trying to raise further awareness into the dire situation after the Great Earthquake in Nepal) shown to the audience before the concert started. Based on this, my campaign to sell Nepathya tickets began where I was able to bring in a helluva lot of attendees...However, an hour before the event began, the band manager told me he couldn't show the video clip. Got into an argument with him but in the end, they decided NOT to show something that would've greatly benefited the poor and needy in Nepal even though we had a verbal contract that they chose to ignore!
This is a band of pompous egomaniacs and I will never ever work with them - And I ask that all Nepalese event organizers around the world to do the same.
PS: A few years ago when Nepathya was denied their visa to the Unites States, didn't Amrit Gurung publish a print media article vilifying the US, its policies and the visa process? He stated that he would never apply for a US visa again - Well, once the potential for tens of thousands of Dollars came gushing in, it was time to cash...And the band monetized on it. I feel that these guys are complete sellouts and an embarrassment to true musicians everywhere!!
#Nepathetic
