Shillong,May 24: Shillong, known as ‘Scotland of the East’, has also grown up to become India’s ‘Rock Capital’. As a city that hosts a line of international concerts and music festivals every year, Shillong is home to a lot of talented musicians. Music runs in the heart of the city and love for rock music especially is shared passionately among both the young and old. So, in a city where musicians are worshipped as Gods and music seeps through all aspects of life, one is bound to encounter little nooks and corners that revel in good music alone.
Today we introduce you to one such amazing local venture that pays special tribute to eminent musician & poet, Bob Dylan –Dylan’s Cafe’. Set in a quiet neighbourhood right next to St Edmund’s school, Dylan’s Cafe, is aiming to reinvigorate Dylan’s memory among local enthusiasts.
Set up just over a year ago, this cafe is a homage to the man in every imaginable manner: cushion covers with his face on them, themed merchandise, poetry readings and live music nights.
Customers are encouraged to paint their own tribute to Dylan on bare white square tiles that stand on an easel at one end. The tile then goes up on the ceiling as part of a large collage.
Dylan’s Café, a brain child of Vatsala Tibrewalla where the playlist is full of Dylan’s songs so it is safe to say that fans won’t be disappointed with the music.
Today as Dylan turned 76, the cafe made special arrangements to give the taste of Dylan’s celebrated music.
This year’s celebrations will also be the first since Dylan, who was born Robert Allen Zimmerman, was conferred the Nobel Prize for literature.
Dylan’s birthplace in Minnesota in the US usually holds a party for him with his birthday coming close to the Memorial day holiday. It seems like only yesterday since Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz famously celebrated Dylan’s 30th birthday. In it, the character of Linus says “Bob Dylan will be thirty years old this month,” to which Charlie Brown replies: “That’s the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard!”
Speaking to Shillong Today, Tibrewalla said this is something for people as Shillong is a city of music lovers. Since Bob Dylan is household name in Shillong, that is why this cafe is named after him, she added.
