HÀ NỘI — A project has been launched recently by Bức Tường (The Wall) band and Việt Nam Cable Television to encourage youths to join the rock music scene in Việt Nam.

The project will have three main events including a Bức Tường cover contest, a rock music tour and rock opera performance from now until next March. The contest is the first rock cover contest in Việt Nam, according to the organisers.

"Bức Tường cover contest will be held aiming to keep the flame of rock which is lit by Bức Tường," said the project co-ordinator Bông Mai at a recent press conference.

Founded in March 1995 and consisting of five students of the Hà Nội University of Construction, Bức Tường quickly achieved success, becoming arguably Việt Nam’s most popular rock group.

A year after forming, the band became popular among young people with a hit song We’re the Wall in a TV show for university students. Four years later, they created a stir with another hit Đường Tới Ngày Vinh Quang (Road to Glorious Day).

The band announced their break-up in the last live show in 2006 that drew 20,000 fans who came to say a tearful goodbye. However, in 2010, the band regrouped, but with an important change – it no longer performed hard rock and metal rock, switching instead to modern rock. The band released the album Ngày Khác (Another Day) to mark the change.

The death of 42-year-old band leader Trần Lập in 2016 due to cancer was a big loss for Bức Tường and their fans.

During the cover contest, contestants can cover the songs by singing acapella, singing on beat or singing with the band and they will send a clip to website giaitri.vtvcab.vn. The top 10 round will be held on November 17 and the final on December 12.

The winner will be awarded a cash prize of VNĐ100 million (roughly US$4,300). The best contestants will have chance to perform in the rock tour and rock opera.

Rockers like Đông Hùng, Tuấn RC and Tuấn Khanh from the band Microwave will perform at the tour which will be held in Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng and HCM City in March next year.

The opera entitled Ngày Hôm Qua (Yesterday) will debut in March next year. The plot features a man who overcomes a lots of challenges and temptation to gain success. The 90-minute opera will be staged by Bông Mai to feature 50 songs of Bức Tường. — VNS