Day 348/366

So today, a guy I know who isn’t so much into the independent music scene in India walks up to me Vishal Kumaraswamy and me, listens to our conversation about Weekender/the music scene in general and asks, “Oh, you’ll are really into this indie stuff, huh?” It seemed to be a rhetorical question at first and then I realized, I have friends who are outside the circle as well. And for them, it’s unnatural to meet people who are this excited about standing at a gig and watching a band perform. There were extensive discussions that he couldn’t be a part of purely because the two of us were just COMPLETELY in a different zone.

Now, the live gig. There are the beer drinkers, chilling, not visibly giving a shit about anything; the lip synchers, enjoying the music and seemingly singing along without always getting it right; you can’t forget the hipsters – you’ll know them when you see them (ahem)- they're the regular scenesters who you’ve noticed at all the gigs you've ever attended. 

The experience: to each his own. It doesn’t matter whether you’re standing in a corner and smiling to yourself every time the musicians play a song you like. It’s what you go back home to. But more often that not, after a good gig, you want to go back home and snuggle up to those songs they nailed, not the musicians per se (okay, there are a few I wouldn't mind that with). 

I’m presently tripping on my experience of a 52-year-old (Deep Forest) whom I have come to respect tonight for the energy and passion he has shown towards the genre of ‘ethnic electronica’, as he likes to call it. And fuck, even if it’s an unheard of genre to  me, that guy pulled it off every second he was on that stage. And that has to count for something.

Day 332/366

It's quite incredible to be a part of a live concert. It doesn't matter whether it's a local band or an international act you've grown up listening to. It's all about standing in the crowd and being pulled into the motion that is music.

I agree that it's a nice feeling to be in your own room, doing whatever the fuck you want, and having something you enjoy playing in the background.

But in a gig, it doesn't matter who is around you or whether you're alone or if you're sober or high. It's an experience that cannot be taken away from you because of the mere fact that you were there.

Sure, you could go light a cigarette after every few songs or grab a beer and sway to the tunes. But regardless of genre or how recognized the musician is or any external factor, the joy of live music is your own to take home, cuddle with and have the best dreams to.

It feels a little funny writing this down, because it's the most natural way of approaching music for me now. It doesn't even matter if you're paying for it or are put on someone's guest list, because if you have a good time, it was worth it, whatever the 'it' may be.

I've attended a lot of gigs in life already, but I know I started off late. There's so many musicians I need to see before I die and so little time. And if the Mayans were right, I'm fucked. I'm going to die knowing that my wishlist is not complete. Not a cool realization less than a month from when I'm supposed to die.

BUT, Bangaloreans take note, there's a ton of music that's happening soon that you need to watch live and then go to wherever it is you will be if/when the world ends.

Gig list:

29th November- Swarathma
30th November - Peter Cat Recording Co.
Saturday - Sunday (1st-2nd December) -Strawberry Fields - Skyharbor headlining!
7th December - Guns 'n' Roses
8th December - Happy People
9th December - Koan Sound
12th December - Ankur Tewari & the Ghalat Family
15th - 16th December - NH7 WEEKENDER!!!

You're welcome.

Day 124/366

There used to be a time when the only thing one could mean by Indian music was what came out from Bollywood. But today, the scenario has gone through a sea change and the independent scene is often what a lot of gig-goers associate with. The live music coming out from India is often of good, if not greater quality than Bollywood's item numbers.

An even more interesting and somewhat, pitiable trend is people from the independent scene working in Bollywood as a side project. But that's where the big money is. And it's not that the musicians are dying to lead a rich and famous lifestyle with that money. For some, they just need money for better equipment and studios.

I hope a day can come when the money shifts into the pockets of the bands and songwriters in our country. At the moment, that success factor and money might not be there in the independent scene because the audiences don't understand the good sound of independent music. For many, it's just noise. But I have made my mother listen to the likes of Advaita and Indian Ocean and. Blackstratblues. She loves it! And this doesn't mean that she loves her classical music any less.

We really need to get over Bollywood and allow something new and of great potential grow and give the musicians as much money to thrive and make even better music! Bollywood just buys the music producers the freedom to do whatever they want.  It's that freedom that should go to independent producers as well, if not entirely. Why do they have to earn lesser? It's a pity that Bollywood is what sells. But then all hope is not lost since there ARE those rare characters like Amit Trivedi giving independent musicians a chance to explore their own music in Bollywood.

For me, making your own music and playing at pubs should be given that same amount of money, if not more. Its as much a job as any other. And much more respectable if you're good!