Prominent musicians in namma city are organising musical sojourns to promote promising newcomers
Left to right: DJ Vishnu, DJ Blaque and VJ Harish aka Arrivals
Bengaluru may have a number of bands, independent musicians and amateurs alike, but they’ve all got one thing in common – they’ve always got each other’s back.
These city musicians have hopped across the world, performing to mad crowds but they are now busy coming together to organise musical sojourns to promote the creme de la of our local talent!
“We are really excited about international artistes and throng to see them perform, but in reality, it’s the resident DJs who get the crowds grooving with their warm up sets at clubs,” says VJ Harish Kumar.
Having displayed the choicest of visual performances across France, Thailand and Dubai, he is now redefining clubbing experience as Arrivals with DJ Vishnu and DJ Blaque. “We’re putting together a mini music festival every month with the city’s finest musical, visual and artistic talent,” says Harish about The Uprising that not only ropes in over 15 artistes across genres, but is a hotbed for the city’s best beatboxers and karaoke croakers too!
These melodic affairs are not only to promote local talent but, “To provide the city’s ever-growing music community with a wide variety of music,” says electronic producer, Vilas Monappa whose Bangalore Underground Movement or B.U.M that he started along with his friend Denoy, makes sure that it isn’t just the international artists that make for crowd-pullers. And for some others, the cause stems from their own stories and it’s all about giving back. “When we started out, it was really difficult and there were a couple of people who helped us out. Now, since we are established, we are in a position to promote others,” says Rahul Giri of Sulk Station, an electronic band that’s been grabbing eyeballs since their recent performance at Southbank Centre’s Alchemy Festival in UK. Rahul’s initiative, Consolidate, regularly features artiste profiles and their mixes to introduce music genres. “With no elaborate studio setups and bands required to make music, the young are really making exciting stuff now,” he says.
It’s not just about giving a platform to string out as Thermal and a Quarter’s drummer, Rajeev Rajagopal believes. “It could be collaborations with other artistes or having bands open for us, it comes naturally for an artist to promote his own kind,” he says. But sometimes, music promotions can be a murky business. So then, doesn’t competition come to play? “It’s like apples and oranges really,” he shrugs. “Sure, it can be a race when it comes to the number of gigs signed or festivals attended, but when it comes to music, it’s the sound of your own personality. That’s why the scene is based on amicability and it’s definitely healthy to expose ourselves to other artistes, much like or unlike ourselves,” adds Rajeev. Whatever be the reason, it’s all ‘bhai-bhai’ for Bengaluru musicians looking to spice up the scene with their tunes.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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