Benson & Hedges Star Search '2002'
The One & Only Star Search 2002, a promotional musical contest for new artistes and rock bands, rounded off last night with a dazzling finale of 11 bands and four solo performers in the Sheraton Hotel in the city. The contest was organised and sponsored by Benson & Hedges, a cigarette brand of the British-American Tobacco in Bangladesh.
The entrants to the final event had outperformed 275 others in preliminary competitions, including solo and group performances, through live audition before a panel of judges. The panel was formed with some renowned singers of the country such as Ayub Bacchu, Kumar Bishwajit, Naquib Khan, Foad Nasser, Neo Mendes, Feisal Siddiqi and Omar Khaled Rumi.
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Artistes of Fusion, a rock band, perform at the finale of the Benson & Hedges Star Search 2002. |
The bands at the final event included Dhrubo, Subconscious and Ebong Sristi from Dhaka, Fusion, Orchid, Warrior, Recent, Triangle and Sound Vibration from Chittagong, Chorus from Khulna and Salvation from Rajshahi. The four solo finalists were Nigar Sultana from Khulna, Ashfaqul Bari Rumon from Rajshahi, Beauty Das from Chittagong and Raju Ahmed from Dhaka. A large assembly of invited guests marked the ceremony that started at 4:30pm.
The best performers were awarded in several categories of the Benson & Hedges "Star" 2002. The categorical awards were picked up by Subconscious for best band, Ashraful Bari Rumon for best soloist, Beauty Das for best vocalist, Johon Alamgir for best guitarist, Kamrul Hassan for best bassist, Ruptanu Das Sharma for best keyboard player, Ashraful Bari Rumon for best lyricist, Zubair for best instrumentalist, Toni for best percussionist and Warrior for best composer.
The final round, as in previous years, was restricted to only adult invited guests and anyone under the age of 18 was neither admitted nor allowed to participate.
The Benson & Hedges Star Search 2002 had been a regular and major annual event of the British-American Tobacco in Bangladesh over the years, which has so far spotted several talented rock bands like Vikings and Shaptak and talented solo vocalists, including Mehreen Bhuiyan and Atahar Tito. This year's programme for promotion of new and upcoming artistes started on July 3 with the inauguration of the first round live audition contest in Chittagong and other competitions in Khulna, Rajshahi and Dhaka.
Courtesy: The Daily Star
