If you are asking, what happens when the king of the Indian music festivals meets the queen of the Indian Indie music scene? Well, there are thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rains! That’s exactly what happened when NH7 Weekender returned to Bangalore this weekend. I am guessing the mighty Zeus got so intrigued by all the positive reviews that the Pune NH7 Weekender got that he decided to give the Bangalore leg a visit, bringing with him unstoppable rain. Luckily he just decided to stay for the 1st Day and did not bother anyone on the 2nd day. Below is what happened in the fest:
What went horribly wrong:
1. The MTS other stage and the Red Bull Tour bus, being open roofed stages, had to be shut down after it started raining cats and dogs. This meant the cancelation of The Dualist Inquiry Band among other promising acts. We also got to know that Mekaal Hasan Band won’t be playing in any of the fests because of Visa issues. They were replaced by Winit Tikoo who did not disappoint the crowd with his blend of Kashmiri Sufi Rock.
2. Where there is rain there are electric shocks, so a lot of guitars decided to give it back to their owners on stage. One of the guitarists from So I Watch You From Afar got such a bad shock that he had to leave the stage, though the other band members played a crazily energetic set to a receptive crowd who fought the rain to see them in action. Their set will definitely be a highlight of Day 1. (Here’s an interview we did of the band)
3. I was really looking forward to Lucky Ali’s gig on Day 1 not because of him but because of his bassist Mishko M’ba who had a beautiful six string custom bass in his hands but I was hugely disappointed by the sound as nothing sounded the way it should. The Violin, the vocals, the flute, the guitars, the bass all sounded weirdly off, it was like watching a live gig video on the laptop speakers.
4. There were a few organisational glitches too, like us not getting the festive booklet on the 1st day, announcements not happening at the right time etc thus causing a little bit of a confusion. Well, I put this point because the same event in Pune, was immaculately organised thus coming to Bangalore, things did feel a little off.
What went awesomely right:
1. It was heartening to see people standing close to the stage to listen to music even when the rains tried dampening the spirits of the artists and the audience alike.
2. Day 1 saw some stern performances with Dualist Inquiry, Kailasa and Inner Sanctum belting out a good number of crowd favourites. I was also lucky enough to see my favourite metal band Bevar Sea open the Bacardi Arena. This was my first Bevar Sea gig having heard their amazingly doomish debut album. This is one band that can floor anybody with their massively heavy, perfectly slow and uberly groovy riffs. Their setlist consisted a mix of new material and songs from their debut album, including the crowd favourite Abishtu (when I lost my voice and neck). Day 1 also saw The Manganiyar Seduction closing the Dewarists stage with a mesmerising performance. In a nutshell, it’s a theatrically produced show of 43 Rajasthani folk musicians from the Manganiyar community playing Rajasthani folk music. Well, watching them was an experience like none before. The whole thing is impeccably produced to give viewers a visual treat.
3. Talking of visual treats, Day 2 had its own share of visual treats with The Raghu Dixit Project putting up an elaborately produced show for their album launch. The show had a carnival feel to it with dancers from the Nritarutya Dance Collective performing to Raghu’s songs. The gig also had the song Yaadon Ki Kyaari with Hand Shadow Puppeteers Prahlad Acharya and Poornima Acharya working their magic to deliver an endearing visual narration. The whole show was so elaborately done that it will be difficult to experience something like this again. Day 2 was also the day of choices – “Should we go for Nucleya or stay for Skrat, Should we go for Papon or stay for Swarathma or go for Raghu Dixit” were the usual statements that were floating around. One band which I was definitely not going to miss was Skrat. A high energy performance atop the Red Bull tour bus made sure that the audience got the grooviest hooks from this highly talented band from Chennai. Day 2 also saw The Fender Benders consisting of the best guitarists in India from Warren Mendonsa to Rudy Wallang making sure that the crowd got some high dosage of good ol’ rock n roll mixed with some bluesy and jazzy licks.They were ably backed by Loy Mendonsa on Bass and Jai Row Kavi on drums. Papon & The East India Company also played a hugely receptive set with the crowd singing the birthday song as soon as Benny Dayal, who was invited to sing Tauba Tauba, announced that it was Papon’s Birthday. Papon had the crowd going with favourites like Banaao Banaao and ending his set with Bihu Naam. I was unfortunate not to see Swarathama in action as their slot on the Red Bull Tour Bus clashed with that of The Raghu Dixit Project at the Dewarists stage. The day ended with The Karsh Kale Collective playing to a packed crowd. Karsh Kale ended his set by making sure all the artists who have performed are on stage to the delight of the audience. The day also featured a secret acoustic set with Prateek Kuhad, Baiju & Nischay Parekh playing to a small receptive crowd.
Yes, Bangalore, where rain (read: nature) or reign (read: government) tries to ruin every concert. The maddening traffic, though, suggested that the denizens of Bangalore had collectively decided to Stop the Code and Hit the road, to move from the karnatic to the the Kinetic. I was sure that I would be brutally maimed in the confusion and melee, especially when it involves hormone driven teens in rainbow tops and large flashing plastic eyewear. And I was right, except for the “brutally maimed in the confusion and melee” bit. Everything was beautifully managed, including the parking, the facility, the security and the puberty (refer teens with large flashing plastic eyewear). After being frisked with hands that were trained to detect anatomical defects, I was led into……….
The crowd:
What really surprised me was, there was more to the crowd than the young “Facebookers” & “Youtubers”, who grow up on a regular dose of Tomorrowland after-movies. I spoke with a few House “Purists”, in their 40s (waist and age), and they seemed quite excited about SunBurn and the line-up. One of them, went on to explain the underlying theory and mathematics that defines EDM/House, but I was quite distracted by the……..
The Crowd 2:
A lovely assortment of colours, creatures and caricatures, the EDM/House crowd made the excellent venue a wonderland, and certainly looked to make love and not war. I definitely spotted a girl with little wings (a wasp maybe?), and I think I also spotted a giant green cucumber. But it could have been………………
The Alcohol
Yes, there was alcohol. I got some, and this time, I was certainly brutally maimed. Getting alcohol involved 3 basic steps (i) Solving counter/coupon puzzles in record time (ii) Proving worth with blood (iii) Selling soul and freedom. I failed miserably, and tried everything else a proud Indian could. I flashed my “Media Badge”, used persuasive language skills involving female members of the family, threatened to call rather rough quarrelsome friends with friends in influential political circles etc. Nothing worked. But I did get some, and saw my mind bend and ribs crack with the……………………..
Visuals and Music
The visual set-up was insane, and I would have enjoyed it even without the sound, or maybe with a Morgan Freeman narration explaining the Space-Time continuum. Surprisingly though, and something a lot of attendees agreed with, the best effect that punctuated the entire show was brought about by…………………………………
The Rain:
Weird, yes. But, believe me, the rain was in perfect synchronization with the sound. Every “hook” hit you that bit harder with the pure atmospheric water, making the experience all the more natural and beautiful. A few wept, and as the popular Facebook status update goes, not many could see their tears. The gods had a grand scheme……………
Fedde le Grand:
And what a “grand” start to his set! His change of style was quite evident, as his music has now evolved from his signature commercial style to a more experimental and excitingly unpredictable sound! His mixes had cleverly incorporated “rock” elements, and his rendition of a “Red Hot Chilli Peppers” number certainly resonated well. Speaking of Live Mixes…………
Paul Van Dyk:
“Live Mixes Always!”, and he stayed true to that. His cult tracks, especially “Like an Angel” during a certain transition, pleased the purists, but what really endeared him to the crowd was the way he interacted with it. Unlike the more “popular” DJs of the contemporary era, whose only physical activity on the stage involves pressing a couple of switches and raising their hands, this guy was all over the place, off the console and into the crowd, leading it into crazy dancing and jumping. The crowd moved with him, up and down, and the earth seemed to be very alive, breathing………….
All roads lead to Laxmi Lawns, Magarpatta, as the Pune leg of the NH7 Weekender Festival series kicked-off on the 18th of October,2013. Not belonging to Pune, which was the case with 80 percent of the people who attended the Pune NH7 Weekender, these were the things that I was expecting will happen when I reach Pune for the festival:
– Getting ripped off by an auto guy – Check.
– Landing up at a random ‘Friend’s Friend’s Friend’s place’ to spend the night – Check.
– Having an awesome 1st day – Check.
Yes, NH7 Weekender lives up to its expectations of being one of the best music festivals in India. Top notch organisation, beautiful sets and even more beautiful people (ok let’s put that on the top of the list J ).
The 1st day of the festival featured big names like Shankar Tucker, Blackstratblues and IndianOcean on the Dewarists stage with Reggae Rajahs and Ankur Tewari headlining the Breezer Dub Station and the MTS others stage respectively. The other stages remained closed for the 1st day. What are these stages, you ask?
Well these are just names given to each stage so that the sponsors remain happy 😉 They also helped in segregating the musicians as per their genres but that’s just a side reason J
The artists on my list for the day were: Siddharth Basrur, Shankar Tucker, Blackstratblues, Ankur Tewary & Indian Ocean (I am not a big electronic music fan as you might have guessed)
Sadly the Pune traffic and the sea of crowd wanting to park their cars and to collect their tickets did not allow me to attend the whole of Siddharth Basrur’s gig (who btw is awesome. Check out one of his albums here) but I was happy that I was attending my first Shankar Tucker concert.
Shankar’s set was good, but nowhere was it close to what I had expected. I direct my disappointment towards his sound engineer who turned a possibly brilliant set into a mediocre one. Having said that, it did get better later on as the set progressed with Shankar finishing his set with a very catchy garba song. Tucker’s stage presence and his pleasant smile was enough for the crowd to remember his brilliantly recorded videos and groove to whatever they could get from the sound.
A little disappointed with the sound but stoked to have seen Shankar Tucker live and getting to talk to him about his new album, which is expected to release starting of next year, I waited for my second most awaited gig of the day, Blackstratblues and they surely did not disappoint.
As soon as Warren, the brainchild behind Blackstrablues, hit the first note on his beautiful black strat, the journey began of a guy painting the most amazing mental pictures in the crowd’s minds and taking them on a melodious yet heavy, instrumental trip. His set had a good mix of new material like Folkish Three and Anandamide (featuring Karsh Kale on drums) which will be featured on his new album The Universe Has a Strange Sense of Humour that he is working on currently and old material like Anuva’s Sky and Ode to a Sunny Day which have now become crowd favourites. The set also had its share of funny moments when a cricket decided to perch right on drummer Jai Row Kavi’s chest while he blissfully blazed away on the drums, luckily the crew members where there to help him out while he shouted ‘Oh Fuck! Oh Fuck’ without actually missing ‘a fuckin’ beat in the whole process J All in all, Blackstratblues delivered the perfect set possible leaving the crowd shouting for more.
It was time for Indian Ocean next, while part of the crowd waited for the giants of the Indian Indie music scene to arrive on stage I shifted to the MTS other stage to watch the charismatic Ankur Tewari perform an acoustic set. The set had all the crowd favourites from ‘Mohabbat Zindabad’ to ‘Sabse Peeche Hum Khade’. In my opinion the guy is an awesome entertainer and knows how to get the freaking crowd going.
As he finished his high energy set, all hell was about to break loose when the mighty Indian Ocean decided to arrive on stage. Honestly, I was sceptical of Indians Ocean’s performance today because of a change in lead guitarist, with Nikhil Roa coming in place of their founding member Sushmit Sen who left Indian Ocean earlier this year to concentrate on his solo project The Sushmit Sen Chronicles. But, boy! Was I wrong!!! They were on a mission, they had a new sense of energy in them which clearly showed when they pulled off a song they have hardly played before, After the War. They didn’t stop there but went on to play a bunch of other very old ones which they never used to perform live. Obviously, their set could not have ended without the usual ‘Bandeh’, ‘Maa Reva’ & ‘Kandisa’ with Maa Reva obviously meaning drummer Amit Kilam jamming with the Pune crowd on the Khamakh. Now, I have seen a lot of Indian Ocean performances over the years all over India where the crowd, when asked to clap to a certain rhythm, claps on any random beat and any random tempo, but this was the first crowd which hit me with its rhythm sense. Everyone was so damn in-sync with the beat. The gig ended with Vijay Nair, Founder OML, announcing the closure of the bars, to the utter dismay of the crowd.
All in all, it was a brilliant day with some very good music.
Plan for the next day: Come early and check out the flea market and the other stages as well.
Day 2:
Day 1 was brilliant with great music all around; day 2 was supposed to be my day to experiment, chill out with a few drinks and explore the festival arena with just The Midival Punditz & The Raghu Dixit Projecton my must-see list. Having spent the night at a ‘Friend’s Friend’s Friend’s’ place as mentioned in my previous article, I set out for day 2 ready to explore. Top priority: check out the Red Bull Tour bus. What a beauty that bus is! The bus / stage, parked right opposite the Bacardi Arena, opened with a band from Pune called A Mutual Question performing a bunch of post rock / semi psychedelic songs to a receptive crowd of Pune-kars happy to see one of their own perform. This band, probably playing their first festival ever, just blew my mind off with their sound. The synth, the guitars, the bass – everything sounded so freaking good, I really wish they perform more in the coming years. Soon after their set, the Dewarists stage, which is probably half a Kilometer from the Bacardi Arena (Now you know why I say NH7 Weekender makes you lose weight ;)) was having Maati Baani perform next. Maati Baani is a Hindustani Classical / folk fusion / world music project spear headed by the wonderful and gifted Hindustani Classical vocalist Nirali Kartik and ably backed by her husband Kartik Shah on guitars and a lot of other very talented musicians on drums, saxophone, violin, flute etc. I was aware they are quite good, having seen a few of Nirali’s videos on Youtube, but I didn’t know they were so incredible. With each song, the set just got better and the whole crowd swayed with whatever Maati Baani had to offer. The set included a bunch of Rajasthani folk songs fused with funky guitars and very groovy bass lines, and also a very peppy French song fused with Hindustani classical vocals. Luckily I got a chance to speak to Nirali after the set got over and I tell you, she is the sweetest person on earth, entertaining everybody with their ridiculous / thoughtful questions and also posing with everyone who asked for a pic. I am sure you guys must have seen the ‘happiness is’ posts floating around, here’s one more – Happiness is to meet a wonderfully humble artist after a brilliant gig J It was now time for some Metchul Vaani from one of India’s top metal bands, Scribe. Now, I am not a huge metalhead, in fact I am the first one to look for the exit as soon as the growling starts but when it comes to Scribe it’s just not about the growling or the headbanging it’s the complete experience that I like. So, I made my way back to the Bacardi Arena (Yes, Yes the 5 Km or so walk) to experience Scribe. One song into the set and a moshpit starts, two songs in – vocalist Vishwesh orders for a wall of death, three songs in – a circle of death, need I say more! (Need to know what they are Youtube Scribe – wall of death) Amidst all this, the band got ticked off by some guy ‘wearing an AC/DC T-Shirt’ for which Mr. Vishwesh had some very nice things to say. I’ll try and transcript it for you ‘maa @#&*)$& behen %&&((@ beti %*(($$* g@#$%^&’ and it goes on. I couldn’t meet Vishwesh after the gig else you would have known the reason behind those sweet words. There’s one more thing that happened during the set – AN ALL-GIRLS MOSHPIT. NO COMMENTS I SAY 😉 With my head still spinning because of all the headbanging (and probably because of the drinking), I relaxed to the soothing sound of British folk rockers Slow Club. I also got some time to check out the flea market and the NH7 merchandise shop. Basically, I was just loosening up for the madness in store. I also got some time to watch Skindred killing it at the Bacardi Arena but had to run back to catch the Indian Electronica act The Midival Punditz. The Midival Punditz delivered a near perfect set playing mostly material from their new album slated to come out next year and also some of their old classics. The highlight of their set were the guest artists who were called onto the stage to perform with them from Papon in Naina Lagey re to Karsh Kale and Raghu Dixit in the Train Song to their usual set finisher the classic Bhangra Fever with Karsh Kale on drums.
Talking about Raghu Dixit, he and his brilliant band The Raghu Dixit Project were slated next. Well, this was probably my 12th or 13th RDP concert and let me tell you this; given a chance I can still watch them each and every day for probably a whole year and not get bored. That’s how unique each gig of theirs is. This night was no different with Mr. Raghu Dixit doing what he does best; rock the freaking hell out of the crowd. The new album ‘Jag Changa’ which, as bassist Gaurav Vaz rightly pointed out, has been announced in all the previous NH7s but they never really got the time to release it. The album is finally going to release next month and so it made most sense to play most songs from the album. But, as we all know the crowd is never going to leave Raghu Dixit till he sings his most popular song which shot him to fame, Hey Bhagwaan. What was interesting is that The Raghu Dixit Project for the 1st time in any festival was NOTshort of time and so the crowd’s request to play Ambar was also taken gracefully. The set finished with RDPs regular set finisher Mysore se Ayi after which Vijay Nair came on stage to announce a secret acoustic gig by Ankur Tewary and Nischay Parekh. Well if there’s a secret gig I have to attend that so I did and it was a lot of fun singing along to Ankur’s songs again. This set also featured this very non veg song call Naman Saraiya. Listen it for yourself. This ended another awesome day at NH7 Weekender Pune.
Plan for the next day: At least visit the EDM stages once!
~ The three day music fiesta culminated into a spectacular evening of rock, fusion, and oodles of freshest Kingfisher beer ~
Bangalore, October 20, 2013:
The 9th edition of ‘Kingfisher Premium-The Great Indian Octoberfest’– an enthralling mix of music, freshest Kingfisher beer, food and flea markets brought together the best of rock, metal, fusion and Bollywood music. The party and music lovers of the city were seen having a gala time at the three-day long musical extravaganza which brought some of the biggest and most electrifying performers from across the globe.
The final evening culminated with an exhilarating performance by Bollywood singer Mika Singh who translated the energy well from the stage to the audiences as Bangaloreans danced to his playful numbers. Revelers were seen craving for more as Mika Singh sang some of his popular hit numbers. Earlier in the day, performances by well known bands like Raghu Dixit, Lagori, Agam, Clown with a frown and many more got the party rolling. With a scintillating line up of over 25 artists like Hoobastank, Shankar Tucker, Exist Immortal, Raghu Dixit and popular Bollywood singers Mika and Arijit Singh, the 9th edition of Kingfisher the Great Indian Octoberfest 2013 provided a mix of both global and local flavors across the three days. Not to forget the DJs who got one’s feet tapping with magical sounds that left one dancing late into the night.
In what was easily the set of the day, Delhi’s Nucleya tore up the Eristoff Wolves Den on Saturday evening. Packing the stage to its maximum capacity and then some, the bass-heavy producer played some spectacular tracks from his brand new EP Koocha Monster, as well as older material, accompanied by stunning visuals. And, there was crowd-surfing.
On Saturday evening, Welsh reggae rockers Skindred proved why their showmanship is hailed far and wide. Playing the Bacardi Arena, the band was at their entertaining best and even attempted their trademark move, dubbed the Newport Helicopter, for which they instruct all the men in the audience to take off their shirts and swing them around their heads in unison. The crowd lived India’s first Newport Helicopter, and, needless to say, they were thoroughly entertained.
Nischay Parekh and his band closed the MTS Other Stage for the day, playing what was the most memorable set at the stage for the day. The trio played a number of songs off their first EP Ocean and threw in an unreleased track ‘Sunbeam’ as well. Halfway through the band’s set, Vijay Nair, CEO, Only Much Louder, came on stage to quickly tell the crowd how much he enjoys Nischay Parekh’s music as well.
On Saturday evening, playing the last set of the day at The Dewarists, The Raghu Dixit Project announced that they were finally releasing their much awaited second album. They treated thousands of fans to a whole lot of new material, playing their entire new album ‘Jag Changa’ in its entirety. The album is currently available on pre-order from the band’s website, and festival-goers who have purchased a ticket will receive a free copy of the album.
The big daddies of Indian electronica, Midival Punditz had a host of surprises for their audience on Saturday evening at The Dewarists. Besides playing a great deal of new material from their upcoming album, the duo was called on stage a bunch of all-star collaborators – Papon, Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, Siddharth Basrur, and for a brilliant sing-a-long, they called on Raghu Dixit and Karsh Kale to perform their popular track ‘Train Song’.
English duo Slow Club set the perfect mood on Saturday evening at The Dewarists, as the sun went down and the stunning stage came to light in the evening light. Scores of fans lounged in the grass at the stage, soaking in the duo’s highly agreeable sound.
What to look out for on Day Three:
The final day of the first Bacardi NH7 Weekender of the year is set to see some massive sets. Headliners Chase & Status will play the Eristoff Wolves Den on Sunday, and you’re not going to want to miss this. The Karsh Kale Collective + The NH7 All Stars will close every edition of the festival this year, but this is your chance to listen first to a bevy of the most talented musicians in the country on stage together, at the Bacardi Arena. The Breezer Dub Station will see a set by Sikh-Canadian rapper Humble The Poet later in the day, while the Bacardi Arena will host electro-rockers Sky Rabbit and Pentagram, among others. If all else fails, and you’re incredibly confused, just catch the sets specially curated for the festival, as you’re unlikely to be able to watch them again – Party Scribe at Red Bull Tour Bus, Krunk All Stars, and festival closer Karsh Kale Collective + NH7 All Stars.
~ Thousands of party animals dance the evening away as headlining band Hoobastank enthralled the crowd ~
Bangalore, October 19, 2013:
It was fun and entertainment all the way on Day 2 of Kingfisher Premium – The Great Indian Octoberfest (Kingfisher Premium– TGIOF) as agreat combination of music, die-hard party audience and Kingfisher Beer kept the crowds swaying in unison. The electrified atmosphere at the Jaymahal Palace Grounds, made Day 2 of the musical fiesta ‘THE PLACE’ to be in.
The evening was aperfect blend of rock, metal, fusion tunes and Bollywood hits. The performance highlights for the day was the headlining band Hoobastank who kept the gathered revelers on their toes. The American rock band ensured that the crowd got what they had come to seek – a magical evening filled with rock and hip hop, as they belted out some of their famous tracks.
The evening also featured rib thumping performances from bands like Indus Creed, One Night Stand, Skrat, Avail, Shankar Tucker and many more, as renowned DJs DJ Ajit Pai, DJ Inferno and DJ NDS & Blue enthralled the packed audience.
The biggest musical extravaganza of the year also got bigger in terms of reach as Kingfisher beer came up with an array of activations to ensure fans celebrate, cherish and live through this season’s exciting moments at The Great Indian Octoberfest. Some of the fun applications and digital contests included Headbang for Kingfisher, Scream for Kingfisher, Kingfisher Air Guitar God, Kingfisher Octopener, Kingfisher Instagrammer and more.
The highlight of Kingfisher Premium Great Indian Octoberfest was the continuous flow of Kingfisher beer straight from the breweries to the stalls as thousands of people swung to the music. To help match peoples favorite beer to their favorite foods, a large section of the venue was dedicated to some mouth -watering delicacies. The stalls offered a vast menu encompassing spicy Indian and flavorful Continental cuisines.
People cruised from stall to stall seeking out small treasures at the vibrant flea market. From clothes, bags, jewellery, accessories to antiques, furniture and memorabilia, the little kiosks had something for everyone. A host of cutting edge artists from around the country combined technique; style and art, while displaying their talents at the art center.
Bangaloreans partied like never before as they were bestowed with unlimited music, fresh Kingfisher Beer and entertainment
Bangalore, October 18th, 2013:
Bangaloreans witnessed the best of music, fun and entertainment on Day 1 of the Kingfisher Premium – The Great Indian Octoberfest 2013 at Jaymahal Palace Grounds. The 9th edition of the annual three day beer and music festival saw some electrifying musical performances, unlimited supply of fresh draught beer, lip-smacking food, a bohemian flea market and an arena for fun competitive games taking the excitement levels to a fever pitch.
The evening featured an exceptional mix of Rock, hip hop and Bollywood hits. Artists and bands like Point of View, Core 304, All The Fat Children, Bollywood’s Arijit Singh and an ensemble of prominent artists kicked-off the day and left the crowd craving for more. Well known DJs like DJ Clement and DJ Rohan Kapoor propelled some high energy into the crowd with their Bollywood and House numbers. The highlight of the evening was an ebullient performance by Arijit Singh of Ashiqui 2 fame who enthralled fans with his romantic melodies.
Music lovers got to witness performances from a multitude of bands from rock to metal in succession over the weekend. Not to forget the DJs who belted out some foot tapping numbers, ensuring everyone danced into the night.
Specially for this edition of TGIOF, Kingfisher Premium has introduced the world’s first crowd sourced font called ‘Kinglish’. A first by a beer brand, the uber cool fonts were contributed by pub hoppers across Bangalore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi25yv9pPoQ
The biggest musical extravaganza of the year also got bigger in terms of reach as Kingfisher beer came up with an array of activations to ensure fans celebrate, cherish and live through this season’s exciting moments at The Great Indian Octoberfest. Some of the fun applications and digital contests included Headbang for Kingfisher, Scream for Kingfisher, Kingfisher Air Guitar God, Kingfisher Octopener, Kingfisher Instagrammer and more.
The highlight of the entire carnival was the unlimited supply of the freshest draught beer directly from the brewery to the stalls. This is an exceptional experience that has induced a level of elation among thousands of people in the past.
In addition to all that music and beer at the Kingfisher Premium – The Great Indian Octoberfest, one can indulge in a variety of activities, a flea market, vintage car and bike rally, food stalls that serve a scrumptious array of cuisines and an art center, where acclaimed painters and sculptors from across the country will be displaying their talents.
Collaborating with 18 musicians to create an album that is interesting, quirky and all the right things for pop, Tajdar Junaid’s album was in the making since 2012. Released earlier this year, the album promised a myriad of musicians coming together and in harmony, they did.
Tajdar, a multitalented music heavyweight is singer-songwriter and composer-producer alike. On this album, his debut LP, he has managed to include collaborations as wide as a Greg Johnson and a Junaid Ahmad. He has also managed to incorporate the fun young pop that everyone loves, a mild electric flair and a strong carnatic background to his music. And this is no wonder, judging his background in music reads like a PR sheet of the music industry. From Karsh Kale to Fred White (Acoustic Alchemy), who mixed the album, Tajdar has supporters and collaborators who enrich his music beautifully. His genre, pop, is ideal, letting him blend his experiments with his grand successes. s
Coming to the songs on the album ‘What colour is your raindrop’. The 10 songs are quite an achievement as a whole, but are more an achievement in the individuality. You have the interesting, you have the light but what is nice is you also have the upbeat and groovy, something many artists have tried to achieve but failed. Though I know is a lilting tune while Mockingbird (feat. Greg Johnson) has a great quirky feel to it. What caught me by surprise was Dastaan. It is melodious, with instruments used to a mighty advantage, with al almost Rajastani flair to the song. You almost feel like you are at the Desert Festival.
With an incredibly beautiful beginning, having a massive mix of instruments that sounds so incredible, it makes you take a pause and guess each one, Aisle is something that I haven’t in a long time. It is a beautiful mix as is What colour is your rainbow which is like a love song, though it would have been nice to hear someone sing along with the music. Like Dastaan, The first year is slow and melodious with an innate sadness to it. Aamna is slow and not as lovely as The first year or Dastaan and Prelude to Poland, while nice in tune is slightly repetitive and seems to borrow heavily from Aamna. It might be the other way around but I heard Aamna first. Out of the remaining two, Yadon ki Pari (feat. Junaid Ahmad) has a very interesting start and the transitions in the song are smooth, but noteworthy is its electric flair. All the songs have a very distinct flavour to them, and except one or two, actually sound pretty unique. The only worrying note I felt was that there wasn’t anything that was signature Tajdar that stood out and I feel if he manages that, his album will go over the edge.
Having said that, the final number Ekta Golpo (feat.Anusheh Anadil & Satyaki) has an incredible guitar start and something of a signature to it. A lovely Bengali song, it sounds like the celebration of life, without having to understand a word!
It’s not every day that one gets to listen to a jazz album produced in India, so I was pleasantly surprised to get my hands on Nico which is Drift the Trio’s debut album. The trio consists of Reuben Narain on drums, Pranai Gurung on guitars and Sahil Warsi on Double bass. The thing that is most evident when you start listening to the album is the immense skill that each member has of playing jazz music, thus exhibiting their own musical experiences, be it the groovy bass lines played on a double bass, the intricate jazz drumming or the melodic guitaring. The simplicity in the sound and melody is one of the most attractive things about the album. The sound is so simple and well mixed that it makes it very easy for the listener to directly connect to the musicians playing. The only change in this characteristic sound is towards the end of the song called Envelope where the song almost gets pulled from Jazz into Psychedelia, but the melody of the song itself is so simple that the integrity of the album remains intact.
Another thing that I noticed about the album was the way it progresses with each song and takes the listener on an emotional trip inducing different kinds of feelings in him. While the first half of the album makes the listener experience mixed feelings, from a sense of mystery to a sense of sadness and includes the dark yet catchy Tune Tarantino, The second half of the album is mostly filled with happier and groovier melodies. Ten One and Not So Blue are songs you can instantly connect to and will get you grooving in no time. Elysian Fields, on the other hand, is one song that can make you feel so uneasy that in spite of not wanting to hear it again because of that uneasiness, you still press the re-play button. The album opener Quantime sets the mood for the rest of the album with an uneasy groove and an intricate jazz melody. The only downside to the song is the slightly extra stretched drum sequence in the beginning of the song, but you soon forget that once the melody kicks in. With instrumental songs you tend to connect the name of the songs to the kind of feelings they evoke in you when you hear those songs, to see if they match. The album definitely wins in this department as a lot of the songs are quite aptly named. Be it Tune Tarantino or my favourite song of the album, Feather’s Flight. Right from the 1st note to the 1st chord change to the time when the rhythm kicks in, you can totally visualise the flight of a feather floating in the light and smooth evening wind.
In a nut shell, the perfect album to listen to on a relaxed Sunday morning with a cup of coffee in your hand and a good pair of headphones over your ears.
It was a quiet Friday evening. I was a tad bit late to Garage Jam, but thankfully I didn’t miss anything. The show was featuring 3 bands, one acoustic – Chord Impact; one Grunge – Livide; and one Metal – Deaf. A nice mix of bands and talented musicians for the night in my opinion.
The show kicked off with Chord Impact. A nice 4 piece acoustic band, playing covers of various artists, of various genres. They played the longest set of the night, which officially lasted for close to an hour. Playing for the first time with their two new members, there were times when I felt that they were a little clumsy. But, with time, they’ll surely get over that part. Kusdos to Vaibhav for his crowd interaction, his emcee skills helped a lot there I guess.
Their setlist for the night –
Something in the Way – Nirvana Cover
Zombie – The Cranberries Cover
Thank You – Dido Cover
This is the Life – Amy McDonald Cover
The Scientist – Coldplay Cover
Here Without You – Three Doors Down Cover
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley Cover
Sweet Child ‘O Mine – Guns ‘N Roses Cover
Nothing Else Matters – Metallica Cover
Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People Cover
Glycerin – Bush Cover
Walk – Foo Fighters Cover
Somebody I Used to Know – Gotye Cover
Livide were up next. I had heard about them before, but never really could see them live, but needless to say, they made a powerful first impression! Grunge happens to be one of my favourite genres, a genre I usually play on loop when I’m down or I need to take a time out. These guys play the genre in its true colours and nailed every song. The highlight of this 3 piece bands’ show would be their cover of Rape Me by Nirvana – flawless would be the closest appropriate word I can find at this moment to describe it. The best band of the night, in my opinion.
Their setlist for the night –
Spin You Around – Puddle of Mud
Truth – Seether Cover
Everybody Knows
Rape Me – Nirvana Cover
Deaf were the last band for the night. It was getting late already, and most of the crowd had disappeared by the time they were ready to play. Missing their vocalist, they started off by covering Metallica and Judas Priest. Supreet, vocalist/guitarist of Thrash came out to support them and sung Seek and Destroy and Breakign the Law, before declaring he was too drunk 😛 In what seemed to be a nice gesture, Vaibhav, from Chord Impact(also Deaf’s ex-vocalist), joined them to sing their originals – Deceive and Catfight(Chaos). They ended the night with a tribute to Jeff Hanneman, playing the intro of Raining Blood.
Their setlist for the night –
For Whom the Bell Tolls – Metallica Cover
Seek and Destroy – Metallica cover
Breaking the Law – Judas Priest cover
Deceive
Catfight (Chaos)
Raining Blood (Intro) – Slayer Cover
Garage Jam, just like always, was a success. One of the best initiatives taken for music in Bangalore, and they are dedicated to their commitment of providing young bands a platform to perform and showcase their talent. News is they are expanding and we would love to see them expand their wings and reach out to more musicians. Kudos again to the whole Garage Jam team!
Pictures Courtesy – Abhishek BA
For the first time since its inception, Garage Jam came out of their comfort zone and hosted a very interesting event – First Blast. A line-up consisting of 2 DJ’s, DJ Rakesh and DJ Ron; along with two bands, Livide and Thrash; this was one interesting event and I was looking forward to it eagerly(mostly because of my strange likeness of Metal and House/Trance).
The night started on a sad note, Livide had pulled out and it was raining too. The show started a bit late, in a gloomy mood, but the spirits were soon lifted up by DJ Rakesh. Playing a set of some exquisite music and mixing it up the right way, he did a great job behind the console. Highlight of his set, in my opinion, would be when he spinned up “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye; one of my favourite tracks and he did justice to it with his mixing skills.
He was soon followed up by a beatboxer – Sanjay. Showing his prowess with his skills, he covered almost all genres of EDM with ease. Performing medley’s between different styles, singing while beat boxing and the best of all – a great show of Dubstep music and beat; all without using any instruments except his vocal chords. A 21 gun salute to this talented man!
After 5 minutes of awesomeness from Sanjay, DJ Ron took the console duties. Spinning up hits after hits, he managed to get the crowd grooving to his beats. Gathering up momentum, he managed to get people dancing too! An energetic set from the man and he got his incentive from the crowd. Arwen secretly told me that he is training Ron to be a Rock/Metal DJ. Now that would be very interesting.
His setlist for the night:
David Guetta – Without You, Titanium, Stay With Me
Thrash – a band that has made a name for themselves. I saw them live first during The Pit 2, held earlier this year. The band has come a long way in terms of their sound as well as performance. Sudarshan’s bass skills teamed with Ashwin’s top class drumming ensured Supreet had full support to belt out their original compositions as well as some classic covers. A regular at Garage Jam, Thrash blazed through their setlist of 7 songs and brought the night to a fitting end, leaving the audience wanting more.
Their setlist for the night:
Warhead
Blow Torch (Demolition Hammer Cover)
Shotgun
Disection
Whiplash (Metallica Cover)
Random Act Of Aggression
Thrash Attack
It is sad to see that even though it is a free show, hardly 30 odd people actually stop by and listen to the bands, and the feedback from them is minimal. Not that the venue can hold more than that many people at a time, but I feel somewhere the bands performing would be more satisfied if they see a good response from the crowd.
All that said and done, the initiative by Garage Jam was pretty innovative. One doesn’t get to see such a mix of genre too often; I was satisfied by the show, to be frank. The enthusiasm and dedication of Arwen to support the young bands and artists is commendable, he makes sure there is no stone left unturned when it comes to organising the events; and this was just another example of it. Kudos to the Garage Jam team!
