Songs of the Nepali heart

After 30 years on stage, 1974 AD has reached a point of arrival and departure at once.

On Saturday evening, as around 10,000 fans roared "Yo man ta mero Nepali ho (This heart of mine is Nepali) at the Hyatt grounds in Chuchchepati, it was as if 1974 AD was announcing its arrival and departure simultaneously. The event marked the 30th year celebration of the band, and it was aptly named "Rock Yatra-2", harping on its first major arrival on the Nepali music scene in 2002. In a country where surviving for 30 years as a musical band is a rare feat, the band has continued to thrive, which was evident in how on Saturday, several generations of Nepali fans lip-synced to most of the songs throughout the three-hour show. But, after 30 years of winning the hearts of Nepali music lovers, have they reached a point of departure?